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Burden SA, Libby T, Jayaram K, Sponberg S, Donelan JM. Why animals can outrun robots. Sci Robot 2024; 9:eadi9754. [PMID: 38657092 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.adi9754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Animals are much better at running than robots. The difference in performance arises in the important dimensions of agility, range, and robustness. To understand the underlying causes for this performance gap, we compare natural and artificial technologies in the five subsystems critical for running: power, frame, actuation, sensing, and control. With few exceptions, engineering technologies meet or exceed the performance of their biological counterparts. We conclude that biology's advantage over engineering arises from better integration of subsystems, and we identify four fundamental obstacles that roboticists must overcome. Toward this goal, we highlight promising research directions that have outsized potential to help future running robots achieve animal-level performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A Burden
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Thomas Libby
- Robotics Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Kaushik Jayaram
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Simon Sponberg
- Schools of Physics and Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30317, USA
| | - J Maxwell Donelan
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
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2
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Labonte D, Bishop PJ, Dick TJM, Clemente CJ. Dynamic similarity and the peculiar allometry of maximum running speed. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2181. [PMID: 38467620 PMCID: PMC10928110 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46269-w] [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: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal performance fundamentally influences behaviour, ecology, and evolution. It typically varies monotonously with size. A notable exception is maximum running speed; the fastest animals are of intermediate size. Here we show that this peculiar allometry results from the competition between two musculoskeletal constraints: the kinetic energy capacity, which dominates in small animals, and the work capacity, which reigns supreme in large animals. The ratio of both capacities defines the physiological similarity index Γ, a dimensionless number akin to the Reynolds number in fluid mechanics. The scaling of Γ indicates a transition from a dominance of muscle forces to a dominance of inertial forces as animals grow in size; its magnitude defines conditions of "dynamic similarity" that enable comparison and estimates of locomotor performance across extant and extinct animals; and the physical parameters that define it highlight opportunities for adaptations in musculoskeletal "design" that depart from the eternal null hypothesis of geometric similarity. The physiological similarity index challenges the Froude number as prevailing dynamic similarity condition, reveals that the differential growth of muscle and weight forces central to classic scaling theory is of secondary importance for the majority of terrestrial animals, and suggests avenues for comparative analyses of locomotor systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Labonte
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Peter J Bishop
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Geosciences Program, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Taylor J M Dick
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Christofer J Clemente
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
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3
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Fish FE, Nicastro AJ, Cardenas KL, Segre PS, Gough WT, Kahane-Rapport SR, St. Leger J, Goldbogen JA. Spin-leap performance by cetaceans is influenced by moment of inertia. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246433. [PMID: 38149677 PMCID: PMC10914021 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246433] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Cetaceans are capable of extraordinary locomotor behaviors in both water and air. Whales and dolphins can execute aerial leaps by swimming rapidly to the water surface to achieve an escape velocity. Previous research on spinner dolphins demonstrated the capability of leaping and completing multiple spins around their longitudinal axis with high angular velocities. This prior research suggested the slender body morphology of spinner dolphins together with the shapes and positions of their appendages allowed for rapid spins in the air. To test whether greater moments of inertia reduced spinning performance, videos and biologging data of cetaceans above and below the water surface were obtained. The principal factors affecting the number of aerial spins a cetacean can execute were moment of inertia and use of control surfaces for subsurface corkscrewing. For spinner dolphin, Pacific striped dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, minke whale and humpback whale, each with swim speeds of 6-7 m s-1, our model predicted that the number of aerial spins executable was 7, 2, 2, 0.76 and 1, respectively, which was consistent with observations. These data implied that the rate of subsurface corkscrewing was limited to 14.0, 6.8, 6.2, 2.2 and 0.75 rad s-1 for spinner dolphins, striped dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, minke whales and humpback whales, respectively. In our study, the moment of inertia of the cetaceans spanned a 21,000-fold range. The greater moments of inertia for the last four species produced large torques on control surfaces that limited subsurface corkscrewing motion and aerial maneuvers compared with spinner dolphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank E. Fish
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
| | - Anthony J. Nicastro
- Department of Physics and Engineering, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
| | | | - Paolo S. Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - William T. Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
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Walker CA, McBrayer LD. Stop, then go! Rapid acceleration offsets the costs of intermittent locomotion when turning in Florida scrub lizards. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 339:853-860. [PMID: 37485808 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Intermittent locomotion is a common locomotor mode in small vertebrates. Pausing is thought to aid in locating a predator or prey, enhancing crypsis, lowering energy costs, and/or maneuvering around obstacles or toward a refuge. Many lizards flee predators by turning into potential refugia and subsequently pausing, presumably to conceal themselves. Intermittent locomotion may be associated with turning by allowing an animal time to assess its surroundings and/or decreasing the likelihood of losing its footing. In this study, we quantify locomotor performance and the use of intermittent locomotion in Florida scrub lizards (Sceloporus woodi) when navigating either a 45° or 90° turn. Lizards paused in 92.91% of all trials, and yet despite pausing, instantaneous speed was not different entering or exiting the turn. This result suggests that turning comes at minimal cost to forward speed for lizards under these conditions. Pausing during a turn, however, did slow speed in the turn. Interestingly, the speed in the turn did not differ in trials with a pause before the turn versus trials without a pause. The angle of the turn also had no effect on whether lizards paused. We found that lizards increase peak acceleration following pauses to compensate for lost speed during the pause, providing a mechanism that may minimize negative fitness effects associated with slow running speeds and allow intermittent locomotion to be such a common strategy in lizards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheyenne A Walker
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
| | - Lance D McBrayer
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, USA
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5
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Vaglietti S, Villeri V, Dell’Oca M, Marchetti C, Cesano F, Rizzo F, Miller D, LaPierre L, Pelassa I, Monje FJ, Colnaghi L, Ghirardi M, Fiumara F. PolyQ length-based molecular encoding of vocalization frequency in FOXP2. iScience 2023; 26:108036. [PMID: 37860754 PMCID: PMC10582585 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108036] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor FOXP2, a regulator of vocalization- and speech/language-related phenotypes, contains two long polyQ repeats (Q1 and Q2) displaying marked, still enigmatic length variation across mammals. We found that the Q1/Q2 length ratio quantitatively encodes vocalization frequency ranges, from the infrasonic to the ultrasonic, displaying striking convergent evolution patterns. Thus, species emitting ultrasonic vocalizations converge with bats in having a low ratio, whereas species vocalizing in the low-frequency/infrasonic range converge with elephants and whales, which have higher ratios. Similar, taxon-specific patterns were observed for the FOXP2-related protein FOXP1. At the molecular level, we observed that the FOXP2 polyQ tracts form coiled coils, assembling into condensates and fibrils, and drive liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). By integrating evolutionary and molecular analyses, we found that polyQ length variation related to vocalization frequency impacts FOXP2 structure, LLPS, and transcriptional activity, thus defining a novel form of polyQ length-based molecular encoding of vocalization frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Vaglietti
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Veronica Villeri
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Dell’Oca
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Chiara Marchetti
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Federico Cesano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Francesca Rizzo
- Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR 518057, China
| | - Dave Miller
- Cascades Pika Watch, Oregon Zoo, Portland, OR 97221, USA
| | - Louis LaPierre
- Deptartment of Natural Science, Lower Columbia College, Longview, WA 98632, USA
| | - Ilaria Pelassa
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Francisco J. Monje
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Luca Colnaghi
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Mirella Ghirardi
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Fiumara
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
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6
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Hansen MJ, Domenici P, Bartashevich P, Burns A, Krause J. Mechanisms of group-hunting in vertebrates. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1687-1711. [PMID: 37199232 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Group-hunting is ubiquitous across animal taxa and has received considerable attention in the context of its functions. By contrast much less is known about the mechanisms by which grouping predators hunt their prey. This is primarily due to a lack of experimental manipulation alongside logistical difficulties quantifying the behaviour of multiple predators at high spatiotemporal resolution as they search, select, and capture wild prey. However, the use of new remote-sensing technologies and a broadening of the focal taxa beyond apex predators provides researchers with a great opportunity to discern accurately how multiple predators hunt together and not just whether doing so provides hunters with a per capita benefit. We incorporate many ideas from collective behaviour and locomotion throughout this review to make testable predictions for future researchers and pay particular attention to the role that computer simulation can play in a feedback loop with empirical data collection. Our review of the literature showed that the breadth of predator:prey size ratios among the taxa that can be considered to hunt as a group is very large (<100 to >102 ). We therefore synthesised the literature with respect to these predator:prey ratios and found that they promoted different hunting mechanisms. Additionally, these different hunting mechanisms are also related to particular stages of the hunt (search, selection, capture) and thus we structure our review in accordance with these two factors (stage of the hunt and predator:prey size ratio). We identify several novel group-hunting mechanisms which are largely untested, particularly under field conditions, and we also highlight a range of potential study organisms that are amenable to experimental testing of these mechanisms in connection with tracking technology. We believe that a combination of new hypotheses, study systems and methodological approaches should help push the field of group-hunting in new directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Hansen
- Fish Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, Berlin, 12587, Germany
| | - Paolo Domenici
- IBF-CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Area di Ricerca San Cataldo, Via G. Moruzzi No. 1, Pisa, 56124, Italy
- IAS-CNR, Località Sa Mardini, Torregrande, Oristano, 09170, Italy
| | - Palina Bartashevich
- Faculty of Life Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, Berlin, 10115, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence "Science of Intelligence," Technical University of Berlin, Marchstr. 23, Berlin, 10587, Germany
| | - Alicia Burns
- Faculty of Life Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, Berlin, 10115, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence "Science of Intelligence," Technical University of Berlin, Marchstr. 23, Berlin, 10587, Germany
| | - Jens Krause
- Fish Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, Berlin, 12587, Germany
- Faculty of Life Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, Berlin, 10115, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence "Science of Intelligence," Technical University of Berlin, Marchstr. 23, Berlin, 10587, Germany
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7
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Sánchez-Rodríguez J, Raufaste C, Argentina M. Scaling the tail beat frequency and swimming speed in underwater undulatory swimming. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5569. [PMID: 37689714 PMCID: PMC10492801 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41368-6] [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: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Undulatory swimming is the predominant form of locomotion in aquatic vertebrates. A myriad of animals of different species and sizes oscillate their bodies to propel themselves in aquatic environments with swimming speed scaling as the product of the animal length by the oscillation frequency. Although frequency tuning is the primary means by which a swimmer selects its speed, there is no consensus on the mechanisms involved. In this article, we propose scaling laws for undulatory swimmers that relate oscillation frequency to length by taking into account both the biological characteristics of the muscles and the interaction of the moving swimmer with its environment. Results are supported by an extensive literature review including approximately 1200 individuals of different species, sizes and swimming environments. We highlight a crossover in size around 0.5-1 m. Below this value, the frequency can be tuned between 2-20 Hz due to biological constraints and the interplay between slow and fast muscles. Above this value, the fluid-swimmer interaction must be taken into account and the frequency is inversely proportional to the length of the animal. This approach predicts a maximum swimming speed around 5-10 m.s-1 for large swimmers, consistent with the threshold to prevent bubble cavitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Sánchez-Rodríguez
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INPHYNI, 17 Rue Julien Lauprêtre, Nice, 06200, France
- Departamento de Física Fundamental, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, 28040, Spain
- Laboratory of Fluid Mechanics and Instabilities, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Raufaste
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INPHYNI, 17 Rue Julien Lauprêtre, Nice, 06200, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 Rue Descartes, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Médéric Argentina
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INPHYNI, 17 Rue Julien Lauprêtre, Nice, 06200, France.
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8
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Bejan A, Gunes U, Almahmoud H. Locomotion rhythm makes power and speed. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14018. [PMID: 37640736 PMCID: PMC10462695 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41023-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
This article addresses two questions, why certain animals (frogs, breaststroke swimmers, hovering fliers, jellyfish) push rapidly against the surrounding fluid and then reach forward slowly, and whether this rhythm of propulsion is a manifestation of the universal phenomenon of design evolution in nature. Emphasis is on the distribution of time periods of locomotion in which, during the driving phase of cyclic movement (the motive stroke, phases 1 and 2, in alternating sequence with the dissipative stroke, phase 3), the work is generated (phase 1) and dissipated (phase 2). The relative lengths of the characteristic times t1 and t2 of the phases 1 and 2, are predicted. The relative duration of the proposed three phases of a cycle is the 'rhythm'. The analysis is based on a model of how the effective cross-sections of the stroking body parts impact the surrounding medium, water, or air, and the total power required to account for the kinetic energy losses during phases 2 and 3, which are due to drag forces posed by the surrounding medium. The body configuration (limbs' cross-sections) determines the limbs' velocities that maximize mean power, and the times t1 and t2 within the motive stroke. Emphasis is placed on the freedom to change the evolving design. Freedom is represented in two ways: the number of degrees of freedom in changing the dimensions of the model and its deformation in time, and the effect that evolutionary changes have on the access that the body has to its available space. Freedom to change the locomotion design leads to greater power and speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bejan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708-0300, USA.
| | - U Gunes
- Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, 34349, Turkey
| | - H Almahmoud
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708-0300, USA
- Mechanical Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, 31261, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
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9
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Rolland J, Henao-Diaz LF, Doebeli M, Germain R, Harmon LJ, Knowles LL, Liow LH, Mank JE, Machac A, Otto SP, Pennell M, Salamin N, Silvestro D, Sugawara M, Uyeda J, Wagner CE, Schluter D. Conceptual and empirical bridges between micro- and macroevolution. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1181-1193. [PMID: 37429904 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02116-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Explaining broad molecular, phenotypic and species biodiversity patterns necessitates a unifying framework spanning multiple evolutionary scales. Here we argue that although substantial effort has been made to reconcile microevolution and macroevolution, much work remains to identify the links between biological processes at play. We highlight four major questions of evolutionary biology whose solutions require conceptual bridges between micro and macroevolution. We review potential avenues for future research to establish how mechanisms at one scale (drift, mutation, migration, selection) translate to processes at the other scale (speciation, extinction, biogeographic dispersal) and vice versa. We propose ways in which current comparative methods to infer molecular evolution, phenotypic evolution and species diversification could be improved to specifically address these questions. We conclude that researchers are in a better position than ever before to build a synthesis to understand how microevolutionary dynamics unfold over millions of years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Rolland
- CNRS, UMR5174, Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
| | - L Francisco Henao-Diaz
- Department of Zoology, and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Michael Doebeli
- Department of Zoology, and Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Rachel Germain
- Department of Zoology, and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Luke J Harmon
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - L Lacey Knowles
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Judith E Mank
- Department of Zoology, and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Antonin Machac
- Department of Zoology, and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Sarah P Otto
- Department of Zoology, and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Matt Pennell
- Departments of Quantitative and Computational Biology and Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nicolas Salamin
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniele Silvestro
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mauro Sugawara
- Department of Zoology, and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Mário Schenberg Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Josef Uyeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Catherine E Wagner
- Department of Botany, and Program in Ecology and Evolution, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Dolph Schluter
- Department of Zoology, and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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10
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Terlau JF, Brose U, Boy T, Pawar S, Pinsky M, Hirt MR. Predicting movement speed of beetles from body size and temperature. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:27. [PMID: 37194049 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00389-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Movement facilitates and alters species interactions, the resulting food web structures, species distribution patterns, community structures and survival of populations and communities. In the light of global change, it is crucial to gain a general understanding of how movement depends on traits and environmental conditions. Although insects and notably Coleoptera represent the largest and a functionally important taxonomic group, we still know little about their general movement capacities and how they respond to warming. Here, we measured the exploratory speed of 125 individuals of eight carabid beetle species across different temperatures and body masses using automated image-based tracking. The resulting data revealed a power-law scaling relationship of average movement speed with body mass. By additionally fitting a thermal performance curve to the data, we accounted for the unimodal temperature response of movement speed. Thereby, we yielded a general allometric and thermodynamic equation to predict exploratory speed from temperature and body mass. This equation predicting temperature-dependent movement speed can be incorporated into modeling approaches to predict trophic interactions or spatial movement patterns. Overall, these findings will help improve our understanding of how temperature effects on movement cascade from small to large spatial scales as well as from individual to population fitness and survival across communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jördis F Terlau
- EcoNetLab, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany.
| | - Ulrich Brose
- EcoNetLab, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Boy
- EcoNetLab, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Samraat Pawar
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, UK
| | - Malin Pinsky
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Myriam R Hirt
- EcoNetLab, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
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11
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Jin Y, Liu X, Shao Y, Wang H, Yang W. High-speed quadrupedal locomotion by imitation-relaxation reinforcement learning. NAT MACH INTELL 2022. [DOI: 10.1038/s42256-022-00576-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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12
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Cooper JA, Hutchinson JR, Bernvi DC, Cliff G, Wilson RP, Dicken ML, Menzel J, Wroe S, Pirlo J, Pimiento C. The extinct shark Otodus megalodon was a transoceanic superpredator: Inferences from 3D modeling. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm9424. [PMID: 35977007 PMCID: PMC9385135 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm9424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Although shark teeth are abundant in the fossil record, their bodies are rarely preserved. Thus, our understanding of the anatomy of the extinct Otodus megalodon remains rudimentary. We used an exceptionally well-preserved fossil to create the first three-dimensional model of the body of this giant shark and used it to infer its movement and feeding ecology. We estimate that an adult O. megalodon could cruise at faster absolute speeds than any shark species today and fully consume prey the size of modern apex predators. A dietary preference for large prey potentially enabled O. megalodon to minimize competition and provided a constant source of energy to fuel prolonged migrations without further feeding. Together, our results suggest that O. megalodon played an important ecological role as a transoceanic superpredator. Hence, its extinction likely had large impacts on global nutrient transfer and trophic food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack A. Cooper
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - John R. Hutchinson
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK
| | - David C. Bernvi
- KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, Umhlanga Rocks 4320, South Africa
| | - Geremy Cliff
- KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, Umhlanga Rocks 4320, South Africa
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KZN, South Africa
| | - Rory P. Wilson
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Matt L. Dicken
- KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, Umhlanga Rocks 4320, South Africa
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Jan Menzel
- JanMenzelArt, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Stephen Wroe
- Function, Evolution, and Anatomy Research Lab, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - Jeanette Pirlo
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Stanislaus, Turlock, CA 95382, USA
| | - Catalina Pimiento
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
- Paleontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Zurich CH-8006, Switzerland
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institution, Balboa, Panama
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13
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Maher AE, Burin G, Cox PG, Maddox TW, Maidment SCR, Cooper N, Schachner ER, Bates KT. Body size, shape and ecology in tetrapods. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4340. [PMID: 35896591 PMCID: PMC9329317 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32028-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Body size and shape play fundamental roles in organismal function and it is expected that animals may possess body proportions that are well-suited to their ecological niche. Tetrapods exhibit a diverse array of body shapes, but to date this diversity in body proportions and its relationship to ecology have not been systematically quantified. Using whole-body skeletal models of 410 extinct and extant tetrapods, we show that allometric relationships vary across individual body segments thereby yielding changes in overall body shape as size increases. However, we also find statistical support for quadratic relationships indicative of differential scaling in small-medium versus large animals. Comparisons of locomotor and dietary groups highlight key differences in body proportions that may mechanistically underlie occupation of major ecological niches. Our results emphasise the pivotal role of body proportions in the broad-scale ecological diversity of tetrapods. Here, the authors examine how body size, shape, and segment proportions correspond to ecology in models of 410 tetrapods. They find variable allometric relationships, differential scaling in small and large animals, and body proportions as a potential niche occupation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice E Maher
- Department of Musculoskeletal & Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course & Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool, L7 8TX, UK.
| | - Gustavo Burin
- Natural History Museum, London, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Philip G Cox
- Department of Archaeology and Hull York Medical School, University of York, PalaeoHub, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Thomas W Maddox
- School of Veterinary Science, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Small Animal Teaching Hospital, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Susannah C R Maidment
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Natalie Cooper
- Natural History Museum, London, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Emma R Schachner
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Karl T Bates
- Department of Musculoskeletal & Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course & Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool, L7 8TX, UK
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14
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Low effective mechanical advantage of giraffes’ limbs during walking reveals trade-off between limb length and locomotor performance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2108471119. [PMID: 35867765 PMCID: PMC9282232 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2108471119] [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] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Giraffes are the tallest living animals, using their height to access food unavailable to their competitors. It is not clear how their specialized anatomy impacts their athletic ability. We made musculoskeletal models of the forelimbs from a giraffe and two close relatives and used motion-capture and force data to measure how efficient they are when walking in a straight line. A horse, for example, uses just 1 unit of muscle force to oppose 1 unit of force on the ground. Giraffe limbs are comparatively disadvantaged—their muscles must develop 3 units of force to oppose 1 unit of force on the ground. This explains why giraffes walk and run at modest speeds. Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) possess specialized locomotor morphology, namely elongate and gracile distal limbs. While this contributes to their overall height and enhances feeding behavior, we propose that the combination of long limb segments and modest muscle lever arms results in low effective mechanical advantage (EMA, the ratio of in-lever to out-lever moment arms), when compared with other cursorial mammals. To test this, we used a combination of experimentally measured kinematics and ground reaction forces (GRFs), musculoskeletal modeling, and inverse dynamics to calculate giraffe forelimb EMA during walking. Giraffes walk with an EMA of 0.34 (±0.05 SD), with no evident association with speed within their walking gait. Giraffe EMA was about four times lower than expectations extrapolated from other mammals, ranging from 0.03 to 297 kg, and this provides further evidence that EMA plateaus or even diminishes in mammals exceeding horse size. We further tested the idea that limb segment length is a factor which determines EMA, by modeling the GRF and muscle moment arms in the extinct giraffid Sivatherium giganteum and the other extant giraffid, Okapia johnstoni. Giraffa and Okapia shared similar EMA, despite a four to sixfold difference in body mass (Okapia EMA = 0.38). In contrast, Sivatherium, sharing a similar body mass with Giraffa, had greater EMA (0.59), which we propose reflects behavioral differences, such as a somewhat increased capability for athletic performance. Our modeling approach suggests that limb length is a determinant of GRF moment arm magnitude and that unless muscle moment arms scale isometrically with limb length, tall mammals are prone to low EMA.
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15
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Araújo R, David R, Benoit J, Lungmus JK, Stoessel A, Barrett PM, Maisano JA, Ekdale E, Orliac M, Luo ZX, Martinelli AG, Hoffman EA, Sidor CA, Martins RMS, Spoor F, Angielczyk KD. Inner ear biomechanics reveals a Late Triassic origin for mammalian endothermy. Nature 2022; 607:726-731. [PMID: 35859179 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04963-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Endothermy underpins the ecological dominance of mammals and birds in diverse environmental settings1,2. However, it is unclear when this crucial feature emerged during mammalian evolutionary history, as most of the fossil evidence is ambiguous3-17. Here we show that this key evolutionary transition can be investigated using the morphology of the endolymph-filled semicircular ducts of the inner ear, which monitor head rotations and are essential for motor coordination, navigation and spatial awareness18-22. Increased body temperatures during the ectotherm-endotherm transition of mammal ancestors would decrease endolymph viscosity, negatively affecting semicircular duct biomechanics23,24, while simultaneously increasing behavioural activity25,26 probably required improved performance27. Morphological changes to the membranous ducts and enclosing bony canals would have been necessary to maintain optimal functionality during this transition. To track these morphofunctional changes in 56 extinct synapsid species, we developed the thermo-motility index, a proxy based on bony canal morphology. The results suggest that endothermy evolved abruptly during the Late Triassic period in Mammaliamorpha, correlated with a sharp increase in body temperature (5-9 °C) and an expansion of aerobic and anaerobic capacities. Contrary to previous suggestions3-14, all stem mammaliamorphs were most probably ectotherms. Endothermy, as a crucial physiological characteristic, joins other distinctive mammalian features that arose during this period of climatic instability28.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Araújo
- Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal. .,Institut des Sciences de L'Évolution de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Romain David
- Natural History Museum, London, UK. .,Max Plank Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Julien Benoit
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jacqueline K Lungmus
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, USA
| | - Alexander Stoessel
- Max Plank Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Zoology and Evolutionary Research, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Jessica A Maisano
- Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Eric Ekdale
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Paleontology, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Maëva Orliac
- Institut des Sciences de L'Évolution de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Zhe-Xi Luo
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Agustín G Martinelli
- Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales 'Bernardino Rivadavia', Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eva A Hoffman
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christian A Sidor
- Burke Museum and Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rui M S Martins
- Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Fred Spoor
- Natural History Museum, London, UK.,Max Plank Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kenneth D Angielczyk
- Neguanee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, USA.
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16
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Tross J, Wolf H, Pfeffer SE. Influence of caste and subcaste characteristics in ant locomotion (Camponotus fellah). J Exp Biol 2022; 225:275528. [PMID: 35615922 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Worker polymorphism in ants has evolved repeatedly, with considerable differences in the morphometry of worker subcastes. Such body size differences and especially caste- and subcaste-specific characteristics might significantly influence locomotion. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive locomotion analysis along gradients in both body size and walking speed of Camponotus fellah worker subcastes, and of males, which have rarely been studied to date due to short life spans associated with mating flights. We provide a detailed description of the morphometry and size differences of C. fellah castes and subcastes and analyse locomotion in the different polymorphic groups in terms of absolute and relative walking speeds (mesosoma lengths per second). Our results reveal that body size and shape affect locomotion behaviour to different extents in the worker subcastes (minor workers, medias, major workers) and in males. Nevertheless, C. fellah ants use the same overall locomotion strategy, with males and major workers reaching considerably lower walking speeds than minors and medias. Body size thus mainly affects walking speed. Minor workers reach the highest relative velocities by high relative stride lengths in combination with large vertical and lateral COM oscillations and clearly higher stride frequencies of up to 25 Hz. Locomotion of males was characterised by clearly lower walking speeds, wider footprint positions, significant phase shifts and a notable dragging of the shorter hind legs. However, general walking parameters of males differed less from those of the female workers than expected due to division of labour in the colony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Tross
- Institute of Neurobiology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Harald Wolf
- Institute of Neurobiology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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17
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Pozhitkova AV, Kladko DV, Vinnik DA, Taskaev SV, Vinogradov VV. Reprogrammable Soft Swimmers for Minimally Invasive Thrombus Extraction. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:23896-23908. [PMID: 35537068 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c04745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Thrombosis-related diseases are the primary cause of death in the world. Despite recent advances in thrombosis treatment methods, their invasive nature remains a crucial factor, which leads to considerable deadly consequences. Soft magnetic robots are attracting widespread interest due to their fast response, remote actuation, and shape reprogrammability and can potentially avoid the side effects of conventional approaches. This paper outlines a new approach to the thrombosis treatment via reprogrammable magnetic soft robots that penetrate, hook, and extract the plasma clots in a vein-mimicking system under applied rotating magnetic fields. We present shape-switching bioinspired soft swimmers, capable of locomotion by different mechanisms in vein-mimicking flow conditions and whose swimming efficiency is similar to animals. Further, we demonstrate the potential of a developed robot for minimally invasive thromboextraction with and without fibrinolytic usage, including hooking the plasma clot for 3.1 ± 1.1 min and extracting it from the vein-mimicking system under the applied magnetic fields. We consider an interesting solution for thrombosis treatment to avoid substantial drawbacks of the existing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna V Pozhitkova
- International Institute "Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technology", ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Daniil V Kladko
- International Institute "Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technology", ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Denis A Vinnik
- National Research South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia
| | - Sergey V Taskaev
- National Research South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia
- Chelyabinsk State University, Chelyabinsk 454001, Russia
| | - Vladimir V Vinogradov
- International Institute "Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technology", ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
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18
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Hawkes EW, Xiao C, Peloquin RA, Keeley C, Begley MR, Pope MT, Niemeyer G. Engineered jumpers overcome biological limits via work multiplication. Nature 2022; 604:657-661. [PMID: 35478234 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04606-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
For centuries, scientists have explored the limits of biological jump height1,2, and for decades, engineers have designed jumping machines3-18 that often mimicked or took inspiration from biological jumpers. Despite these efforts, general analyses are missing that compare the energetics of biological and engineered jumpers across scale. Here we show how biological and engineered jumpers have key differences in their jump energetics. The jump height of a biological jumper is limited by the work its linear motor (muscle) can produce in a single stroke. By contrast, the jump height of an engineered device can be far greater because its ratcheted or rotary motor can 'multiply work' during repeated strokes or rotations. As a consequence of these differences in energy production, biological and engineered jumpers should have divergent designs for maximizing jump height. Following these insights, we created a device that can jump over 30 metres high, to our knowledge far higher than previous engineered jumpers and over an order of magnitude higher than the best biological jumpers. Our work advances the understanding of jumping, shows a new level of performance, and underscores the importance of considering the differences between engineered and biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliot W Hawkes
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
| | - Charles Xiao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | | | - Christopher Keeley
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Matthew R Begley
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | | | - Günter Niemeyer
- Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
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19
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Portalier SMJ, Fussmann GF, Loreau M, Cherif M. Inferring Size-Based Functional Responses From the Physical Properties of the Medium. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.761984] [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
First derivations of the functional response were mechanistic, but subsequent uses of these functions tended to be phenomenological. Further understanding of the mechanisms underpinning predator-prey relationships might lead to novel insights into functional response in natural systems. Because recent consideration of the physical properties of the environment has improved our understanding of predator-prey interactions, we advocate the use of physics-based approaches for the derivation of the functional response from first principles. These physical factors affect the functional response by constraining the ability of both predators and prey to move according to their size. A physics-based derivation of the functional response should thus consider the movement of organisms in relation to their physical environment. One recent article presents a model along these criteria. As an initial validation of our claim, we use a slightly modified version of this model to derive the classical parameters of the functional response (i.e., attack rate and handling time) of aquatic organisms, as affected by body size, buoyancy, water density and viscosity. We compared the predictions to relevant data. Our model provided good fit for most parameters, but failed to predict handling time. Remarkably, this is the only parameter whose derivation did not rely on physical principles. Parameters in the model were not estimated from observational data. Hence, systematic discrepancies between predictions and real data point immediately to errors in the model. An added benefit to functional response derivation from physical principles is thus to provide easy ways to validate or falsify hypotheses about predator-prey relationships.
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20
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Sereno PC, Myhrvold N, Henderson DM, Fish FE, Vidal D, Baumgart SL, Keillor TM, Formoso KK, Conroy LL. Spinosaurus is not an aquatic dinosaur. eLife 2022; 11:80092. [PMID: 36448670 PMCID: PMC9711522 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A predominantly fish-eating diet was envisioned for the sail-backed theropod dinosaur Spinosaurus aegyptiacus when its elongate jaws with subconical teeth were unearthed a century ago in Egypt. Recent discovery of the high-spined tail of that skeleton, however, led to a bolder conjecture that S. aegyptiacus was the first fully aquatic dinosaur. The 'aquatic hypothesis' posits that S. aegyptiacus was a slow quadruped on land but a capable pursuit predator in coastal waters, powered by an expanded tail. We test these functional claims with skeletal and flesh models of S. aegyptiacus. We assembled a CT-based skeletal reconstruction based on the fossils, to which we added internal air and muscle to create a posable flesh model. That model shows that on land S. aegyptiacus was bipedal and in deep water was an unstable, slow-surface swimmer (<1 m/s) too buoyant to dive. Living reptiles with similar spine-supported sails over trunk and tail are used for display rather than aquatic propulsion, and nearly all extant secondary swimmers have reduced limbs and fleshy tail flukes. New fossils also show that Spinosaurus ranged far inland. Two stages are clarified in the evolution of Spinosaurus, which is best understood as a semiaquatic bipedal ambush piscivore that frequented the margins of coastal and inland waterways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul C Sereno
- 1Department of Organismal Biology, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States,Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | | | | | - Frank E Fish
- Department of Biology, West Chester UniversityWest ChesterUnited States
| | | | | | - Tyler M Keillor
- 1Department of Organismal Biology, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Kiersten K Formoso
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States,Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles CountyLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Lauren L Conroy
- 1Department of Organismal Biology, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
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21
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Recurrent erosion of COA1/MITRAC15 exemplifies conditional gene dispensability in oxidative phosphorylation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24437. [PMID: 34952909 PMCID: PMC8709867 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04077-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle fibers rely upon either oxidative phosphorylation or the glycolytic pathway with much less reliance on oxidative phosphorylation to achieve muscular contractions that power mechanical movements. Species with energy-intensive adaptive traits that require sudden bursts of energy have a greater dependency on glycolytic fibers. Glycolytic fibers have decreased reliance on OXPHOS and lower mitochondrial content compared to oxidative fibers. Hence, we hypothesized that gene loss might have occurred within the OXPHOS pathway in lineages that largely depend on glycolytic fibers. The protein encoded by the COA1/MITRAC15 gene with conserved orthologs found in budding yeast to humans promotes mitochondrial translation. We show that gene disrupting mutations have accumulated within the COA1 gene in the cheetah, several species of galliform birds, and rodents. The genomic region containing COA1 is a well-established evolutionary breakpoint region in mammals. Careful inspection of genome assemblies of closely related species of rodents and marsupials suggests two independent COA1 gene loss events co-occurring with chromosomal rearrangements. Besides recurrent gene loss events, we document changes in COA1 exon structure in primates and felids. The detailed evolutionary history presented in this study reveals the intricate link between skeletal muscle fiber composition and the occasional dispensability of the chaperone-like role of the COA1 gene.
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22
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Navarro-Lorbés P, Ruiz J, Díaz-Martínez I, Isasmendi E, Sáez-Benito P, Viera L, Pereda-Suberbiola X, Torices A. Fast-running theropods tracks from the Early Cretaceous of La Rioja, Spain. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23095. [PMID: 34887437 PMCID: PMC8660891 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02557-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Theropod behaviour and biodynamics are intriguing questions that paleontology has been trying to resolve for a long time. The lack of extant groups with similar bipedalism has made it hard to answer some of the questions on the matter, yet theoretical biomechanical models have shed some light on the question of how fast theropods could run and what kind of movement they showed. The study of dinosaur tracks can help answer some of these questions due to the very nature of tracks as a product of the interaction of these animals with the environment. Two trackways belonging to fast-running theropods from the Lower Cretaceous Enciso Group of Igea (La Rioja) are presented here and compared with other fast-running theropod trackways published to date. The Lower Cretaceous Iberian fossil record and some features present in these footprints and trackways suggest a basal tetanuran, probably a carcharodontosaurid or spinosaurid, as a plausible trackmaker. Speed analysis shows that these trackways, with speed ranges of 6.5-10.3 and 8.8-12.4 ms-1, testify to some of the top speeds ever calculated for theropod tracks, shedding light on the question of dinosaur biodynamics and how these animals moved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Navarro-Lorbés
- Cátedra Extraordinaria de Paleontología, Departamento de Ciencias Humanas, Universidad de La Rioja (UR), C/Luis de Ulloa, 2, 26004, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain.
| | - Javier Ruiz
- grid.4795.f0000 0001 2157 7667Departamento de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Díaz-Martínez
- Universidad Nacional de Río Negro-IIPG. Av, Roca 1242, 8332 General Roca, Río Negro Argentina ,Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología (IIPG), CONICET. Av. Roca 1242, 8332 General Roca, Río Negro Argentina
| | - Erik Isasmendi
- grid.11480.3c0000000121671098Departamento de Geología, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena S/N., 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia Spain
| | - Patxi Sáez-Benito
- Centro de Interpretación Paleontológica de la Rioja, Calle Mayor, 10, 26525 Igea, La Rioja Spain
| | - Luis Viera
- Centro de Interpretación Paleontológica de la Rioja, Calle Mayor, 10, 26525 Igea, La Rioja Spain
| | - Xabier Pereda-Suberbiola
- grid.11480.3c0000000121671098Departamento de Geología, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena S/N., 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia Spain
| | - Angélica Torices
- grid.119021.a0000 0001 2174 6969Cátedra Extraordinaria de Paleontología, Departamento de Ciencias Humanas, Universidad de La Rioja (UR), C/Luis de Ulloa, 2, 26004 Logroño, La Rioja Spain
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23
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Noonan MJ, Fagan WF, Fleming CH. A semi‐variance approach to visualising phylogenetic autocorrelation. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Noonan
- Department of Biology The University of British Columbia Okanagan Kelowna BC Canada
| | - William F. Fagan
- Department of Biology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Christen H. Fleming
- Department of Biology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
- Conservation Ecology Center Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Front Royal VI USA
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24
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Perry GLW, Wilmshurst JM, Wood JR. Reconstructing ecological functions provided by extinct fauna using allometrically informed simulation models: An in silico framework for ‘movement palaeoecology’. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Janet M. Wilmshurst
- School of Environment University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
- Manaaki Whenua‐Landcare Research Lincoln New Zealand
| | - Jamie R. Wood
- Manaaki Whenua‐Landcare Research Lincoln New Zealand
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25
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Oufiero CE. Ontogenetic changes in behavioral and kinematic components of prey capture strikes in a praying mantis. Evol Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-021-10135-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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26
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Tross J, Wolf H, Pfeffer SE. Allometry in desert ant locomotion (Cataglyphis albicans and Cataglyphis bicolor) - does body size matter? J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272038. [PMID: 34477873 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Desert ants show a large range of adaptations to their habitats. They can reach extremely high running speeds, for example, to shorten heat stress during foraging trips. It has recently been examined how fast walking speeds are achieved in different desert ant species. It is intriguing in this context that some species exhibit distinct intraspecific size differences. We therefore performed a complete locomotion analysis over the entire size spectrum of the species Cataglyphis bicolor, and we compared this intraspecific dataset with that of the allometrically similar species Cataglyphis albicans. Emphasis was on the allometry of locomotion: we considered the body size of each animal and analysed the data in terms of relative walking speed. Body size was observed to affect walking parameters, gait patterns and phase relationships in terms of absolute walking speed. Unexpectedly, on a relative scale, all ants tended to show the same overall locomotion strategy at low walking speeds, and significant differences occurred only between C. albicans and C. bicolor at high walking speeds. Our analysis revealed that C. bicolor ants use the same overall strategy across all body sizes, with small ants reaching the highest walking speeds (up to 80 body lengths s-1) by increasing their stride length and incorporating aerial phases. By comparison, C. albicans reached high walking speeds mainly by a high synchrony of leg movement, lower swing phase duration and higher stride frequency ranging up to 40 Hz.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Tross
- Institute of Neurobiology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Harald Wolf
- Institute of Neurobiology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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27
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Hirt MR, Barnes AD, Gentile A, Pollock LJ, Rosenbaum B, Thuiller W, Tucker MA, Brose U. Environmental and anthropogenic constraints on animal space use drive extinction risk worldwide. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:2576-2585. [PMID: 34476879 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Animals require a certain amount of habitat to persist and thrive, and habitat loss is one of the most critical drivers of global biodiversity decline. While habitat requirements have been predicted by relationships between species traits and home-range size, little is known about constraints imposed by environmental conditions and human impacts on a global scale. Our meta-analysis of 395 vertebrate species shows that global climate gradients in temperature and precipitation exert indirect effects via primary productivity, generally reducing space requirements. Human pressure, however, reduces realised space use due to ensuing limitations in available habitat, particularly for large carnivores. We show that human pressure drives extinction risk by increasing the mismatch between space requirements and availability. We use large-scale climate gradients to predict current species extinction risk across global regions, which also offers an important tool for predicting future extinction risk due to ongoing space loss and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam R Hirt
- EcoNetLab, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Andrew D Barnes
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Alessandro Gentile
- EcoNetLab, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Laura J Pollock
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Benjamin Rosenbaum
- EcoNetLab, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Wilfried Thuiller
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| | - Marlee A Tucker
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ulrich Brose
- EcoNetLab, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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28
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Anderson KE, Fahimipour AK. Body size dependent dispersal influences stability in heterogeneous metacommunities. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17410. [PMID: 34465802 PMCID: PMC8408130 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96629-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Body size affects key biological processes across the tree of life, with particular importance for food web dynamics and stability. Traits influencing movement capabilities depend strongly on body size, yet the effects of allometrically-structured dispersal on food web stability are less well understood than other demographic processes. Here we study the stability properties of spatially-arranged model food webs in which larger bodied species occupy higher trophic positions, while species’ body sizes also determine the rates at which they traverse spatial networks of heterogeneous habitat patches. Our analysis shows an apparent stabilizing effect of positive dispersal rate scaling with body size compared to negative scaling relationships or uniform dispersal. However, as the global coupling strength among patches increases, the benefits of positive body size-dispersal scaling disappear. A permutational analysis shows that breaking allometric dispersal hierarchies while preserving dispersal rate distributions rarely alters qualitative aspects of metacommunity stability. Taken together, these results suggest that the oft-predicted stabilizing effects of large mobile predators may, for some dimensions of ecological stability, be attributed to increased patch coupling per se, and not necessarily coupling by top trophic levels in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt E Anderson
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
| | - Ashkaan K Fahimipour
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.,Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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29
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Martin BT, Gil MA, Fahimipour AK, Hein AM. Informational constraints on predator–prey interactions. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T. Martin
- Univ. of Amsterdam, Dept of Theoretical and Computational Ecology Amsterdam the Netherlands
| | - Michael A. Gil
- Univ. of Colorado Boulder, Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Boulder CO USA
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Southwest Fisheries Science Center Santa Cruz CA USA
- Inst. of Marine Sciences, Univ. of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - Ashkaan K. Fahimipour
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Southwest Fisheries Science Center Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - Andrew M. Hein
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Southwest Fisheries Science Center Santa Cruz CA USA
- Inst. of Marine Sciences, Univ. of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
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30
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Ryser R, Hirt MR, Häussler J, Gravel D, Brose U. Landscape heterogeneity buffers biodiversity of simulated meta-food-webs under global change through rescue and drainage effects. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4716. [PMID: 34354058 PMCID: PMC8342463 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24877-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat fragmentation and eutrophication have strong impacts on biodiversity. Metacommunity research demonstrated that reduction in landscape connectivity may cause biodiversity loss in fragmented landscapes. Food-web research addressed how eutrophication can cause local biodiversity declines. However, there is very limited understanding of their cumulative impacts as they could amplify or cancel each other. Our simulations of meta-food-webs show that dispersal and trophic processes interact through two complementary mechanisms. First, the 'rescue effect' maintains local biodiversity by rapid recolonization after a local crash in population densities. Second, the 'drainage effect' stabilizes biodiversity by preventing overshooting of population densities on eutrophic patches. In complex food webs on large spatial networks of habitat patches, these effects yield systematically higher biodiversity in heterogeneous than in homogeneous landscapes. Our meta-food-web approach reveals a strong interaction between habitat fragmentation and eutrophication and provides a mechanistic explanation of how landscape heterogeneity promotes biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remo Ryser
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Myriam R Hirt
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Johanna Häussler
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Dominique Gravel
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Ulrich Brose
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
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31
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Gough WT, Smith HJ, Savoca MS, Czapanskiy MF, Fish FE, Potvin J, Bierlich KC, Cade DE, Di Clemente J, Kennedy J, Segre P, Stanworth A, Weir C, Goldbogen JA. Scaling of oscillatory kinematics and Froude efficiency in baleen whales. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:269076. [PMID: 34109418 PMCID: PMC8317509 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.237586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
High efficiency lunate-tail swimming with high-aspect-ratio lifting surfaces has evolved in many vertebrate lineages, from fish to cetaceans. Baleen whales (Mysticeti) are the largest swimming animals that exhibit this locomotor strategy, and present an ideal study system to examine how morphology and the kinematics of swimming scale to the largest body sizes. We used data from whale-borne inertial sensors coupled with morphometric measurements from aerial drones to calculate the hydrodynamic performance of oscillatory swimming in six baleen whale species ranging in body length from 5 to 25 m (fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus; Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera edeni; sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis; Antarctic minke whale, Balaenoptera bonaerensis; humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae; and blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus). We found that mass-specific thrust increased with both swimming speed and body size. Froude efficiency, defined as the ratio of useful power output to the rate of energy input ( Sloop, 1978), generally increased with swimming speed but decreased on average with increasing body size. This finding is contrary to previous results in smaller animals, where Froude efficiency increased with body size. Although our empirically parameterized estimates for swimming baleen whale drag were higher than those of a simple gliding model, oscillatory locomotion at this scale exhibits generally high Froude efficiency as in other adept swimmers. Our results quantify the fine-scale kinematics and estimate the hydrodynamics of routine and energetically expensive swimming modes at the largest scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- William T Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Hayden J Smith
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA.,Department of Physics, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX 78626, USA
| | - Matthew S Savoca
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Max F Czapanskiy
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Frank E Fish
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
| | - Jean Potvin
- Department of Physics, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - K C Bierlich
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - David E Cade
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA.,Long Marine Laboratory, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | | | - John Kennedy
- Department of Physics, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - Paolo Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | | | - Caroline Weir
- Falklands Conservation, Stanley FIQQ 1ZZ, Falkland Islands
| | - Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
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32
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Abstract
Giant land vertebrates have evolved more than 30 times, notably in dinosaurs and mammals. The evolutionary and biomechanical perspectives considered here unify data from extant and extinct species, assessing current theory regarding how the locomotor biomechanics of giants has evolved. In terrestrial tetrapods, isometric and allometric scaling patterns of bones are evident throughout evolutionary history, reflecting general trends and lineage-specific divergences as animals evolve giant size. Added to data on the scaling of other supportive tissues and neuromuscular control, these patterns illuminate how lineages of giant tetrapods each evolved into robust forms adapted to the constraints of gigantism, but with some morphological variation. Insights from scaling of the leverage of limbs and trends in maximal speed reinforce the idea that, beyond 100-300 kg of body mass, tetrapods reduce their locomotor abilities, and eventually may lose entire behaviours such as galloping or even running. Compared with prehistory, extant megafaunas are depauperate in diversity and morphological disparity; therefore, turning to the fossil record can tell us more about the evolutionary biomechanics of giant tetrapods. Interspecific variation and uncertainty about unknown aspects of form and function in living and extinct taxa still render it impossible to use first principles of theoretical biomechanics to tightly bound the limits of gigantism. Yet sauropod dinosaurs demonstrate that >50 tonne masses repeatedly evolved, with body plans quite different from those of mammalian giants. Considering the largest bipedal dinosaurs, and the disparity in locomotor function of modern megafauna, this shows that even in terrestrial giants there is flexibility allowing divergent locomotor specialisations.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R. Hutchinson
- Structure & Motion Lab, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA,UK
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33
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Cloyed CS, Grady JM, Savage VM, Uyeda JC, Dell AI. The allometry of locomotion. Ecology 2021; 102:e03369. [PMID: 33864262 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Organismal locomotion mediates ecological interactions and shapes community dynamics. Locomotion is constrained by intrinsic and environmental factors and integrating these factors should clarify how locomotion affects ecology across scales. We extended general theory based on metabolic scaling and biomechanics to predict the scaling of five locomotor performance traits: routine speed, maximum speed, maximum acceleration, minimum powered turn radius, and angular speed. To test these predictions, we used phylogenetically informed analyses of a new database with 884 species and found support for our quantitative predictions. Larger organisms were faster but less maneuverable than smaller organisms. Routine and maximum speeds scaled with body mass to 0.20 and 0.17 powers, respectively, and plateaued at higher body masses, especially for maximum speed. Acceleration was unaffected by body mass. Minimum turn radius scaled to a 0.19 power, and the 95% CI included our theoretical prediction, as we predicted. Maximum angular speed scaled higher than predicted but in the same direction. We observed universal scaling among locomotor modes for routine and maximum speeds but the intercepts varied; flying organisms were faster than those that swam or ran. Acceleration was independent of size in flying and aquatic taxa but decreased with body mass in land animals, possibly due to the risk of injury large, terrestrial organisms face at high speeds and accelerations. Terrestrial mammals inhabiting structurally simple habitats tended to be faster than those in complex habitats. Despite effects of body size, locomotor mode, and habitat complexity, universal scaling of locomotory performance reveals the general ways organisms move across Earth's complex environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl S Cloyed
- National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, East Alton, Illinois, 62024, USA.,Department of Biology, Washington University of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 63130, USA.,Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, Alabama, 36528, USA
| | - John M Grady
- National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, East Alton, Illinois, 62024, USA
| | - Van M Savage
- Department of Biomathematics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, 90024, USA
| | - Josef C Uyeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061, USA
| | - Anthony I Dell
- National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, East Alton, Illinois, 62024, USA.,Department of Biology, Washington University of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 63130, USA
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34
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Häussler J, Ryser R, Brose U. Invasive spread in meta‐food‐webs depends on landscape structure, fertilization and species characteristics. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Häussler
- Theoretical Biology, IFM, Linköping Univ. Linköping Sweden
- EcoNetLab, Theory in Biodiversity Science German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
| | - Remo Ryser
- EcoNetLab, Theory in Biodiversity Science German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Inst. of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller Univ. Jena Jena Germany
| | - Ulrich Brose
- EcoNetLab, Theory in Biodiversity Science German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Inst. of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller Univ. Jena Jena Germany
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35
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Günther M, Rockenfeller R, Weihmann T, Haeufle DFB, Götz T, Schmitt S. Rules of nature's Formula Run: Muscle mechanics during late stance is the key to explaining maximum running speed. J Theor Biol 2021; 523:110714. [PMID: 33862096 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2021.110714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The maximum running speed of legged animals is one evident factor for evolutionary selection-for predators and prey. Therefore, it has been studied across the entire size range of animals, from the smallest mites to the largest elephants, and even beyond to extinct dinosaurs. A recent analysis of the relation between animal mass (size) and maximum running speed showed that there seems to be an optimal range of body masses in which the highest terrestrial running speeds occur. However, the conclusion drawn from that analysis-namely, that maximum speed is limited by the fatigue of white muscle fibres in the acceleration of the body mass to some theoretically possible maximum speed-was based on coarse reasoning on metabolic grounds, which neglected important biomechanical factors and basic muscle-metabolic parameters. Here, we propose a generic biomechanical model to investigate the allometry of the maximum speed of legged running. The model incorporates biomechanically important concepts: the ground reaction force being counteracted by air drag, the leg with its gearing of both a muscle into a leg length change and the muscle into the ground reaction force, as well as the maximum muscle contraction velocity, which includes muscle-tendon dynamics, and the muscle inertia-with all of them scaling with body mass. Put together, these concepts' characteristics and their interactions provide a mechanistic explanation for the allometry of maximum legged running speed. This accompanies the offering of an explanation for the empirically found, overall maximum in speed: In animals bigger than a cheetah or pronghorn, the time that any leg-extending muscle needs to settle, starting from being isometric at about midstance, at the concentric contraction speed required for running at highest speeds becomes too long to be attainable within the time period of a leg moving from midstance to lift-off. Based on our biomechanical model, we, thus, suggest considering the overall speed maximum to indicate muscle inertia being functionally significant in animal locomotion. Furthermore, the model renders possible insights into biological design principles such as differences in the leg concept between cats and spiders, and the relevance of multi-leg (mammals: four, insects: six, spiders: eight) body designs and emerging gaits. Moreover, we expose a completely new consideration regarding the muscles' metabolic energy consumption, both during acceleration to maximum speed and in steady-state locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Günther
- Computational Biophysics and Biorobotics, Institute for Modelling and Simulation of Biomechanical Systems, Universität Stuttgart, Nobelstraße 15, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, 07737 Jena, Germany.
| | - Robert Rockenfeller
- Mathematisches Institut, Universität Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstraße 1, 56070 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Tom Weihmann
- Institut für Zoologie, Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Straße 47b, 50674 Köln, Germany
| | - Daniel F B Haeufle
- Computational Biophysics and Biorobotics, Institute for Modelling and Simulation of Biomechanical Systems, Universität Stuttgart, Nobelstraße 15, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; Multi-level Modeling in Motor Control and Rehabilitation Robotics, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 3, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Götz
- Mathematisches Institut, Universität Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstraße 1, 56070 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Syn Schmitt
- Computational Biophysics and Biorobotics, Institute for Modelling and Simulation of Biomechanical Systems, Universität Stuttgart, Nobelstraße 15, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; Stuttgart Center for Simulation Science (SC SimTech), Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 5a, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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36
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Doherty TS, Hays GC, Driscoll DA. Human disturbance causes widespread disruption of animal movement. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:513-519. [PMID: 33526889 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01380-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Disturbance and habitat modification by humans can alter animal movement, leading to negative impacts on fitness, survival and population viability. However, the ubiquity and nature of these impacts across diverse taxa has not been quantified. We compiled 208 studies on 167 species from terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems across the globe to assess how human disturbance influences animal movement. We show that disturbance by humans has widespread impacts on the movements of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and arthropods. More than two-thirds of 719 cases represented a change in movement of 20% or more, with increases in movement averaging 70% and decreases -37%. Disturbance from human activities, such as recreation and hunting, had stronger impacts on animal movement than habitat modification, such as logging and agriculture. Our results point to a global restructuring of animal movement and emphasize the need to reduce the negative impacts of humans on animal movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim S Doherty
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia. .,School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Graeme C Hays
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Don A Driscoll
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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37
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Wheatley R, Buettel JC, Brook BW, Johnson CN, Wilson RP. Accidents alter animal fitness landscapes. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:920-934. [PMID: 33751743 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Animals alter their habitat use in response to the energetic demands of movement ('energy landscapes') and the risk of predation ('the landscape of fear'). Recent research suggests that animals also select habitats and move in ways that minimise their chance of temporarily losing control of movement and thereby suffering slips, falls, collisions or other accidents, particularly when the consequences are likely to be severe (resulting in injury or death). We propose that animals respond to the costs of an 'accident landscape' in conjunction with predation risk and energetic costs when deciding when, where, and how to move in their daily lives. We develop a novel theoretical framework describing how features of physical landscapes interact with animal size, morphology, and behaviour to affect the risk and severity of accidents, and predict how accident risk might interact with predation risk and energetic costs to dictate movement decisions across the physical landscape. Future research should focus on testing the hypotheses presented here for different real-world systems to gain insight into the relative importance of theorised effects in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Wheatley
- School of Natural Sciences and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Jessie C Buettel
- School of Natural Sciences and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Barry W Brook
- School of Natural Sciences and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Christopher N Johnson
- School of Natural Sciences and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Rory P Wilson
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
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38
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Hamm M, Drossel B. The concerted emergence of well-known spatial and temporal ecological patterns in an evolutionary food web model in space. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4632. [PMID: 33633237 PMCID: PMC7907356 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84077-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological systems show a variety of characteristic patterns of biodiversity in space and time. It is a challenge for theory to find models that can reproduce and explain the observed patterns. Since the advent of island biogeography these models revolve around speciation, dispersal, and extinction, but they usually neglect trophic structure. Here, we propose and study a spatially extended evolutionary food web model that allows us to study large spatial systems with several trophic layers. Our computer simulations show that the model gives rise simultaneously to several biodiversity patterns in space and time, from species abundance distributions to the waxing and waning of geographic ranges. We find that trophic position in the network plays a crucial role when it comes to the time evolution of range sizes, because the trophic context restricts the occurrence and survival of species especially on higher trophic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Hamm
- Institut für Festkörperphysik, TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Barbara Drossel
- Institut für Festkörperphysik, TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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39
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Abstract
Fossilized gut contents suggest that seeds consumed by dinosaurs may have remained intact in their stomachs, and since seed dispersal distance increases with body-mass in extant vertebrates, dinosaurs may have moved seeds long distances. I simulated seed dispersal by dinosaurs across body-masses from 1 × 101 to 8 × 104 kg using allometric random walk models, informed by relationships between (i) body-mass and movement speed, and (ii) body-mass and seed retention time. Seed dispersal distances showed a hump-shaped relationship with body-mass, reflecting the allometric relationship between maximum movement speed and body-mass. Across a range of assumptions and parameterizations, the simulations suggest that plant-eating dinosaurs could have dispersed seeds long distances.
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Affiliation(s)
- George L W Perry
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
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40
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Oufiero CE, Kraskura K, Bennington R, Nelson JA. Individual Repeatability of Locomotor Kinematics and Swimming Performance in a Gymnotiform Swimmer. Physiol Biochem Zool 2020; 94:22-34. [PMID: 33275536 DOI: 10.1086/712058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractGymnotiform swimming is a specialized form of swimming wherein thrust is produced by the ribbonlike motion of an elongate anal fin, while the body is held relatively stiff. This form of swimming has been extensively examined in relation to the biomechanics of thrust production, the kinematics of the anal fin, and neuromuscular control, whereas few studies have examined whole-animal performance parameters of this swimming mode. The goals of this research were to (1) assess the maximum abilities and repeatability of two swimming performance measures, sprinting and prolonged swimming, which would indicate that these performance measures in a gymnotiform swimmer may be a target for selection, similar to body-caudal fin-swimming fish; (2) examine how a gymnotiform swimmer modulates swimming speed; and (3) determine whether modulatory behavior is consistent across different-sized fish and within individuals across time. Sprinting and prolonged swimming were examined in black ghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons; N=15), multiple times on the same day, and were measured again 4 wk later. Sprinting ability was measured by chasing a fish down a photocell-lined racetrack and obtaining the fastest speed between any 8-cm span. Prolonged swimming abilities were measured in a constant acceleration test (Ucat) in a Brett-style swim tunnel by measuring the maximum speed the fish could attain against a steadily increasing water velocity. We determined frequency, wavelength, and amplitude of the anal fin sine wave in fish swimming at different speeds during the Ucat trials. We found repeatable measures of sprint speed and Ucat performance over short (day) and medium (4 wk) time periods for both tests. Neither sprint nor Ucat performance was significantly dependent on size, suggesting that the primary driver of performance variation was individual differences in physiology. Most modulation of swimming speed occurred through changes in the frequency of the wave train processing down the anal fin, with only modest changes to the wavelength and minimal changes to amplitude. Finally, we compare our measures of swimming performance in this gymnotiform swimmer to published values of body-caudal fin swimmers to demonstrate that this form of locomotion results in comparable sprint and constant-acceleration values.
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Hamm CA, Hampe O, Schwarz D, Witzmann F, Makovicky PJ, Brochu CA, Reiter R, Asbach P. A comprehensive diagnostic approach combining phylogenetic disease bracketing and CT imaging reveals osteomyelitis in a Tyrannosaurus rex. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18897. [PMID: 33144637 PMCID: PMC7642268 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75731-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional palaeontological techniques of disease characterisation are limited to the analysis of osseous fossils, requiring several lines of evidence to support diagnoses. This study presents a novel stepwise concept for comprehensive diagnosis of pathologies in fossils by computed tomography imaging for morphological assessment combined with likelihood estimation based on systematic phylogenetic disease bracketing. This approach was applied to characterise pathologies of the left fibula and fused caudal vertebrae of the non-avian dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex. Initial morphological assessment narrowed the differential diagnosis to neoplasia or infection. Subsequent data review from phylogenetically closely related species at the clade level revealed neoplasia rates as low as 3.1% and 1.8%, while infectious-disease rates were 32.0% and 53.9% in extant dinosaurs (birds) and non-avian reptiles, respectively. Furthermore, the survey of literature revealed that within the phylogenetic disease bracket the oldest case of bone infection (osteomyelitis) was identified in the mandible of a 275-million-year-old captorhinid eureptile Labidosaurus. These findings demonstrate low probability of a neoplastic aetiology of the examined pathologies in the Tyrannosaurus rex and in turn, suggest that they correspond to multiple foci of osteomyelitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Hamm
- Department of Radiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, Greifswald University Hospital, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475, Greifswald, Germany
| | - O Hampe
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - D Schwarz
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - F Witzmann
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - P J Makovicky
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA
| | - C A Brochu
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - R Reiter
- Department of Radiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Richard and Loan Hill Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - P Asbach
- Department of Radiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
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Saxena A, Chatterjee N, Rajvanshi A, Habib B. Integrating large mammal behaviour and traffic flow to determine traversability of roads with heterogeneous traffic on a Central Indian Highway. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18888. [PMID: 33144654 PMCID: PMC7642331 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75810-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Roads impact wildlife in multiple ways, most conspicuous amongst which are animal-vehicle collisions (AVCs). Mitigation measures to reduce AVCs at the local scale are often centred on species-specific crossing zones and collision hotspots. However, at the road network scale, consideration of interactions among road, species and traffic characteristics influencing AVC occurrence is required to design effective mitigation strategies. We modelled traversability—the probability of an animal successfully crossing a road- across an Indian highway for six large mammal species under different scenarios of road and traffic characteristics. Among the study species, group-living and slow-moving animals had higher AVC probabilities that increased significantly with increasing traffic volume and proportions of heavy vehicles in the traffic flow. The risk of AVC was higher for species that were active near roadside habitat during peak traffic hours. Our approach could help identify roads that pose potential mortality risks to animals using empirical data on animal and traffic characteristics. Results suggest that regulating traffic volume and heterogeneity on existing road stretches could potentially reduce animal mortality and barrier effect. Mitigation on roads expected to carry heavy traffic loads passing through ecologically-sensitive areas should be prioritised to ensure traversability for animal communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Saxena
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, 248001, India
| | | | - Asha Rajvanshi
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, 248001, India
| | - Bilal Habib
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, 248001, India.
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Weihmann T. Survey of biomechanical aspects of arthropod terrestrialisation - Substrate bound legged locomotion. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2020; 59:100983. [PMID: 33160205 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2020.100983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Arthropods are the most diverse clade on earth with regard to both species number and variability of body plans. Their general body plan is characterised by variable numbers of legs, and many-legged locomotion is an essential aspect of many aquatic and terrestrial arthropod species. Moreover, arthropods belong to the first groups of animals to colonise subaerial habitats, and they did so repeatedly and independently in a couple of clades. Those arthropod clades that colonised land habitats were equipped with highly variable body plans and locomotor apparatuses. Proceeding from their respective specific anatomies, they were challenged with strongly changing environmental conditions as well as altered physical and physiological constraints. This review explores the transitions from aquatic to terrestrial habitats across the different arthropod body plans and explains the major mechanisms and principles that constrain design and function of a range of locomotor apparatuses. Important aspects of movement physiology addressed here include the effects of different numbers of legs, different body sizes, miniaturisation and simplification of body plans and different ratios of inertial and damping forces. The article's focus is on continuous legged locomotion, but related ecological and behavioural aspects are also taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Weihmann
- Dept. of Animal Physiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany.
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Kahane-Rapport SR, Savoca MS, Cade DE, Segre PS, Bierlich KC, Calambokidis J, Dale J, Fahlbusch JA, Friedlaender AS, Johnston DW, Werth AJ, Goldbogen JA. Lunge filter feeding biomechanics constrain rorqual foraging ecology across scale. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb224196. [PMID: 32820028 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.224196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Fundamental scaling relationships influence the physiology of vital rates, which in turn shape the ecology and evolution of organisms. For diving mammals, benefits conferred by large body size include reduced transport costs and enhanced breath-holding capacity, thereby increasing overall foraging efficiency. Rorqual whales feed by engulfing a large mass of prey-laden water at high speed and filtering it through baleen plates. However, as engulfment capacity increases with body length (engulfment volume∝body length3.57), the surface area of the baleen filter does not increase proportionally (baleen area∝body length1.82), and thus the filtration time of larger rorquals predictably increases as the baleen surface area must filter a disproportionally large amount of water. We predicted that filtration time should scale with body length to the power of 1.75 (filter time∝body length1.75). We tested this hypothesis on four rorqual species using multi-sensor tags with corresponding unoccupied aircraft systems-based body length estimates. We found that filter time scales with body length to the power of 1.79 (95% CI: 1.61-1.97). This result highlights a scale-dependent trade-off between engulfment capacity and baleen area that creates a biomechanical constraint to foraging through increased filtration time. Consequently, larger whales must target high-density prey patches commensurate to the gulp size to meet their increased energetic demands. If these optimal patches are absent, larger rorquals may experience reduced foraging efficiency compared with smaller whales if they do not match their engulfment capacity to the size of targeted prey aggregations.
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Affiliation(s)
- S R Kahane-Rapport
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - M S Savoca
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - D E Cade
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - P S Segre
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - K C Bierlich
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 27710, USA
| | - J Calambokidis
- Cascadia Research Collective, 218 W. 4th Ave., Olympia, WA 98501, USA
| | - J Dale
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 27710, USA
| | - J A Fahlbusch
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - A S Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - D W Johnston
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 27710, USA
| | - A J Werth
- Department of Biology, Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney, VA 23943, USA
| | - J A Goldbogen
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
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Usherwood JR, Gladman NW. Why are the fastest runners of intermediate size? Contrasting scaling of mechanical demands and muscle supply of work and power. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200579. [PMID: 33023380 PMCID: PMC7655479 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The fastest land animals are of intermediate size. Cheetah, antelope, greyhounds and racehorses have been measured running much faster than reported for elephants or elephant shrews. Can this be attributed to scaling of physical demands and explicit physiological constraints to supply? Here, we describe the scaling of mechanical work demand each stride, and the mechanical power demand each stance. Unlike muscle stress, strain and strain rate, these mechanical demands cannot be circumvented by changing the muscle gearing with minor adaptations in bone geometry or trivial adjustments to limb posture. Constraints to the capacity of muscle to supply work and power impose fundamental limitations to maximum speed. Given an upper limit to muscle work capacity each contraction, maximum speeds in big animals are constrained by the mechanical work demand each step. With an upper limit to instantaneous muscle power production, maximal speeds in small animals are limited by the high power demands during brief stance periods. The high maximum speed of the cheetah may therefore be attributed as much to its size as to its other anatomical and physiological adaptations.
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Kanayama Y, Iwasa Y. Why did sauropod dinosaurs grow so big? - A possible answer from the life history theory. J Theor Biol 2020; 508:110485. [PMID: 32918924 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2020.110485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Dinosaurs are known for their large body size. Sauropod dinosaurs (Sauropodomorpha) had an especially large body size; some species reached 30 m long and 50 tons. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain this phenomenon. In this study we examined this question using the life history theory. We constructed a simple model of life history with the following assumptions: the body size of immature individuals increases following a logistic equation. A higher quality and availability of food plants make the initial growth rate faster and the final saturating size larger. The increase in body size stops once reproduction starts. Fertility increases with adult body size and food-plant quality. Mortality due to predation is mitigated by a larger body size. We calculated the optimal body size at maturity that would maximize the lifetime reproductive success or fitness. The analysis showed that adult body size increased with food-plant quality and availability but decreased with higher mortality due to predators and other factors. This conclusion is consistent with geological studies that suggest a high quality and availability of food plants in the Mesozoic era, efficient air-sac breathing, and the lightweight bones of sauropod dinosaurs, allowing rapid growth of small individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kanayama
- Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda-shi, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan
| | - Yoh Iwasa
- Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda-shi, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan
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Thakur MP. The role of predators in driving warming-prey diversity relationships: An invertebrate perspective. Basic Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2020.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Rew-Duffy M, Cameron SF, Freeman NJ, Wheatley R, Latimer JM, Wilson RS. Greater agility increases probability of survival in the endangered northern quoll. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb218503. [PMID: 32561634 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.218503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Introduced predators combined with habitat loss and modification are threatening biodiversity worldwide, particularly the 'critical weight range' (CWR) mammals of Australia. In order to mitigate the impacts of invasive predators on native species in different landscapes, we must understand how the prey's morphology and performance determine their survival. Here, we evaluated how phenotypic traits related to escape performance predict the probability of survival for an endangered CWR mammal, the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus). We measured mass, body size, body shape, body condition and age, as well as maximum sprint speed, acceleration and agility of female quolls over two consecutive years. Those with higher body condition and agility around a 135 deg corner were more likely to survive their first 21 months of life but were not more likely to survive after this period. No other morphological or performance traits affected survival. Heavier second-year individuals were more agile than first years but second years experienced higher mortality rates throughout the year. Females with higher body condition and agility around a 135 deg corner tended to have shorter limbs and feet but longer heads. Our findings suggest that higher body condition and agility are advantageous for survival in female northern quolls. These results can be used to develop predictive models of predator-prey interactions based on performance capacity and how performance is affected by habitat, aiding conservation efforts to predict and manage the impact of introduced predators on native species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda Rew-Duffy
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Skye F Cameron
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Subiaco East, WA 6008, Australia
| | - Natalie J Freeman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Rebecca Wheatley
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania Sandy Bay, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Jessica M Latimer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Robbie S Wilson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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Halsey LG, Bryce CM. Are humans evolved specialists for running in the heat? Man
vs
. horse races provide empirical insights. Exp Physiol 2020; 106:258-268. [DOI: 10.1113/ep088502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lewis G. Halsey
- Department of Life Sciences University of Roehampton London SW15 4JD UK
| | - Caleb M. Bryce
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust Private Bag 13 Maun Botswana
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Hirt MR, Tucker M, Müller T, Rosenbaum B, Brose U. Rethinking trophic niches: Speed and body mass colimit prey space of mammalian predators. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:7094-7105. [PMID: 32760514 PMCID: PMC7391329 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Realized trophic niches of predators are often characterized along a one-dimensional range in predator-prey body mass ratios. This prey range is constrained by an "energy limit" and a "subdue limit" toward small and large prey, respectively. Besides these body mass ratios, maximum speed is an additional key component in most predator-prey interactions.Here, we extend the concept of a one-dimensional prey range to a two-dimensional prey space by incorporating a hump-shaped speed-body mass relation. This new "speed limit" additionally constrains trophic niches of predators toward fast prey.To test this concept of two-dimensional prey spaces for different hunting strategies (pursuit, group, and ambush predation), we synthesized data on 63 terrestrial mammalian predator-prey interactions, their body masses, and maximum speeds.We found that pursuit predators hunt smaller and slower prey, whereas group hunters focus on larger but mostly slower prey and ambushers are more flexible. Group hunters and ambushers have evolved different strategies to occupy a similar trophic niche that avoids competition with pursuit predators. Moreover, our concept suggests energetic optima of these hunting strategies along a body mass axis and thereby provides mechanistic explanations for why there are no small group hunters (referred to as "micro-lions") or mega-carnivores (referred to as "mega-cheetahs").Our results demonstrate that advancing the concept of prey ranges to prey spaces by adding the new dimension of speed will foster a new and mechanistic understanding of predator trophic niches and improve our predictions of predator-prey interactions, food web structure, and ecosystem functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam R. Hirt
- EcoNetLabGerman Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiodiversityFriedrich Schiller University JenaJenaGermany
| | - Marlee Tucker
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK‐F)FrankfurtGermany
- Department of Biological SciencesGoethe‐UniversityFrankfurtGermany
- Department of Environmental ScienceInstitute for Wetland and Water ResearchRadboud UniversityNijmegenthe Netherlands
| | - Thomas Müller
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK‐F)FrankfurtGermany
- Department of Biological SciencesGoethe‐UniversityFrankfurtGermany
| | - Benjamin Rosenbaum
- EcoNetLabGerman Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiodiversityFriedrich Schiller University JenaJenaGermany
| | - Ulrich Brose
- EcoNetLabGerman Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiodiversityFriedrich Schiller University JenaJenaGermany
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