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Anglister N, Gonen-Shalom S, Shlanger P, Blotnick-Rubin E, Rosenzweig A, Horowitz I, Hatzofe O, King R, Anglister L, Spiegel O. Plasma cholinesterase activity: A benchmark for rapid detection of pesticide poisoning in an avian scavenger. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 877:162903. [PMID: 36934922 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Poisoning due to exposure to organophosphate and carbamate pesticides is a common threat for many wildlife species, especially for scavengers such as vultures. The Griffon vulture population (Gyps fulvus), for instance, is deteriorating in the Eastern Mediterranean, and is considered to be critically endangered in Israel, where 48 out of 107 (45 %) known injury/mortality cases in 2010-2021 were caused by poisoning. Lack of specific clinical indications, together with levels of organophosphate or carbamate pesticides too low to detect, challenge the ability to diagnose and treat such poisoning events. The activity of cholinesterase (ChE) in plasma has the potential to serve as an effective biomarker for monitoring exposure to anticholinesterase pesticides in live vultures. Yet, the applicability of this approach has been limited by intra- and inter-species variations in ChE basal levels. The present study aims to provide a benchmark for ChE activity levels in healthy Griffons and their intra-species variation. Blood samples from free-roaming (n = 231) and captive (n = 63) Griffons were collected during routine monitoring, and ChE levels were determined using a colorimetric method. We established that the ChE in the plasma of Griffons reflects mostly acetylcholinesterase as the dominant form. ChE levels in healthy Griffons are 0.601 ± 0.011 U/ml (mean ± SE), while Griffons with suspected or confirmed pesticide poisoning display much lower levels of ChE activity (typically <0.3 U/ml). We also characterized the age dependence of ChE activity, as well as differences among groups from different locations or origins. Our study provides a rapid diagnostic tool for the detection of exposure to organophosphate and carbamate pesticides that should facilitate the lifesaving treatment and the conservation of this species. Moreover, our protocols can be adapted to other species and geographical areas, addressing pesticide poisoning worldwide and contributing to the protection of endangered species and their ecological functions (e.g. sanitation by scavengers).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nili Anglister
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; Israeli Wildlife Hospital, Zoological Center Ramat Gan-Safari Sderat Hatsvi, Ramat Gan 5225300, Israel.
| | - Shira Gonen-Shalom
- Israeli Wildlife Hospital, Zoological Center Ramat Gan-Safari Sderat Hatsvi, Ramat Gan 5225300, Israel; Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
| | - Peleg Shlanger
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O.B. 12, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Edna Blotnick-Rubin
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research, Israel-Canada, IMRIC, The Hebrew University Medical School, P.O. Box 12272, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Ariela Rosenzweig
- Israeli Wildlife Hospital, Zoological Center Ramat Gan-Safari Sderat Hatsvi, Ramat Gan 5225300, Israel
| | - Igal Horowitz
- Israeli Wildlife Hospital, Zoological Center Ramat Gan-Safari Sderat Hatsvi, Ramat Gan 5225300, Israel
| | - Ohad Hatzofe
- Science Division, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, 3 Am Ve'Olamo St., Jerusalem 9546303, Israel.
| | - Roni King
- Science Division, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, 3 Am Ve'Olamo St., Jerusalem 9546303, Israel.
| | - Lili Anglister
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research, Israel-Canada, IMRIC, The Hebrew University Medical School, P.O. Box 12272, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel.
| | - Orr Spiegel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
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Sharma N, Anglister N, Spiegel O, Pinter‐Wollman N. Social situations differ in their contribution to population-level social structure in griffon vultures. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10139. [PMID: 37274150 PMCID: PMC10238758 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Social relationships among animals emerge from interactions in multiple ecological and social situations. However, we seldom ask how each situation contributes to the global structure of a population, and whether different situations contribute different information about social relationships and the position of individuals within the social fabric. Griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) interact socially in multiple situations, including communal roosting, joint flights, and co-feeding. These social interactions can influence population-level outcomes, such as disease transmission and information sharing that determine survival and response to changes. We examined the unique contribution of each social and ecological situation to the social structure of the population and individuals' positions within the overall social network using high-resolution GPS tracking. We found that the number of individuals each vulture interacted with (degree) was best predicted by diurnal interactions-both during flights and on the ground (such as when feeding). However, the strength of social bonds, that is, the number of interactions an individual had (strength), was best predicted by interactions on the ground-both during the day (e.g., while feeding) and at night (e.g., while roosting) but not by interactions while flying. Thus, social situations differ in their impact on the relationships that individuals form. By incorporating the ecological situations in which social interactions occur we gain a more complete view of how social relationships are formed and which situations are important for different types of interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitika Sharma
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Nili Anglister
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life SciencesTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Orr Spiegel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life SciencesTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Noa Pinter‐Wollman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
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Arrondo E, Sebastián-González E, Moleón M, Morales-Reyes Z, María Gil-Sánchez J, Cortés-Avizanda A, Ceballos O, Donázar JA, Sánchez-Zapata JA. Vulture culture: dietary specialization of an obligate scavenger. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20221951. [PMID: 37132232 PMCID: PMC10154924 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual dietary variation has important ecological and evolutionary consequences. However, it has been overlooked in many taxa that are thought to have homogeneous diets. This is the case of vultures, considered merely as 'carrion eaters'. Given their high degree of sociality, vultures are an excellent model to investigate how inter-individual transmissible behaviours drive individual dietary variation. Here, we combine GPS-tracking and accelerometers with an exhaustive fieldwork campaign to identify the individual diet of 55 griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) from two Spanish populations that partially overlap in their foraging areas. We found that individuals from the more humanized population consumed more anthropic resources (e.g. stabled livestock or rubbish), resulting in more homogeneous diets. By contrast, individuals from the wilder population consumed more wild ungulates, increasing their dietary variability. Between sexes, we found that males consumed anthropic resources more than females did. Interestingly, in the shared foraging area, vultures retained the dietary preference of their original population, highlighting a strong cultural component. Overall, these results expand the role of cultural traits in shaping key behaviours and call for the need of including cultural traits in Optimal Foraging models, especially in those species that strongly rely on social information while foraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eneko Arrondo
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Elche 03312, Spain
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Cartuja TA-10, Edificio I, C. Américo Vespucio, s/n, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
- Department of Zoology, University of Granada, Granada 18003, Spain
| | | | - Marcos Moleón
- Department of Zoology, University of Granada, Granada 18003, Spain
| | - Zebensui Morales-Reyes
- Instituto de Estudios Sociales Avanzados (IESA), CSIC, Campo Santo de los Mártires, 7, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
| | | | - Ainara Cortés-Avizanda
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Cartuja TA-10, Edificio I, C. Américo Vespucio, s/n, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Seville, Avda. Reina Mercedes s/n, 41012, Seville, Spain
| | | | - José Antonio Donázar
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Cartuja TA-10, Edificio I, C. Américo Vespucio, s/n, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - José Antonio Sánchez-Zapata
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Elche 03312, Spain
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Luisa Vissat L, Cain S, Toledo S, Spiegel O, Getz WM. Categorizing the geometry of animal diel movement patterns with examples from high-resolution barn owl tracking. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:15. [PMID: 36945057 PMCID: PMC10029274 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00367-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Movement is central to understanding the ecology of animals. The most robustly definable segments of an individual's lifetime track are its diel activity routines (DARs). This robustness is due to fixed start and end points set by a 24-h clock that depends on the individual's quotidian schedule. An analysis of day-to-day variation in the DARs of individuals, their comparisons among individuals, and the questions that can be asked, particularly in the context of lunar and annual cycles, depends on the relocation frequency and spatial accuracy of movement data. Here we present methods for categorizing the geometry of DARs for high frequency (seconds to minutes) movement data. METHODS Our method involves an initial categorization of DARs using data pooled across all individuals. We approached this categorization using a Ward clustering algorithm that employs four scalar "whole-path metrics" of trajectory geometry: 1. net displacement (distance between start and end points), 2. maximum displacement from start point, 3. maximum diameter, and 4. maximum width. We illustrate the general approach using reverse-GPS data obtained from 44 barn owls, Tyto alba, in north-eastern Israel. We conducted a principle components analysis (PCA) to obtain a factor, PC1, that essentially captures the scale of movement. We then used a generalized linear mixed model with PC1 as the dependent variable to assess the effects of age and sex on movement. RESULTS We clustered 6230 individual DARs into 7 categories representing different shapes and scale of the owls nightly routines. Five categories based on size and elongation were classified as closed (i.e. returning to the same roost), one as partially open (returning to a nearby roost) and one as fully open (leaving for another region). Our PCA revealed that the DAR scale factor, PC1, accounted for 86.5% of the existing variation. It also showed that PC2 captures the openness of the DAR and accounted for another 8.4% of the variation. We also constructed spatio-temporal distributions of DAR types for individuals and groups of individuals aggregated by age, sex, and seasonal quadrimester, as well as identify some idiosyncratic behavior of individuals within family groups in relation to location. Finally, we showed in two ways that DARs were significantly larger in young than adults and in males than females. CONCLUSION Our study offers a new method for using high-frequency movement data to classify animal diel movement routines. Insights into the types and distributions of the geometric shape and size of DARs in populations may well prove to be more invaluable for predicting the space-use response of individuals and populations to climate and land-use changes than other currently used movement track methods of analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovica Luisa Vissat
- Department Environmental Science, Policy and Managemente, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Shlomo Cain
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
| | - Sivan Toledo
- Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Orr Spiegel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
| | - Wayne M. Getz
- Department Environmental Science, Policy and Managemente, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal 4000 South Africa
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Cain S, Solomon T, Leshem Y, Toledo S, Arnon E, Roulin A, Spiegel O. Movement predictability of individual barn owls facilitates estimation of home range size and survival. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:10. [PMID: 36750910 PMCID: PMC9906850 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00366-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing attention to individuality in movement, its causes and consequences. Similarly to other well-established personality traits (e.g., boldness or sociability), conspecifics also differ repeatedly in their spatial behaviors, forming behavioral types ("spatial-BTs"). These spatial-BTs are typically described as the difference in the mean-level among individuals, and the intra-individual variation (IIV, i.e., predictability) is only rarely considered. Furthermore, the factors determining predictability or its ecological consequences for broader space-use patterns are largely unknown, in part because predictability was mostly tested in captivity (e.g., with repeated boldness assays). Here we test if (i) individuals differ in their movement and specifically in their predictability. We then investigate (ii) the consequences of this variation for home-range size and survival estimates, and (iii) the factors that affect individual predictability. METHODS We tracked 92 barn owls (Tyto alba) with an ATLAS system and monitored their survival. From these high-resolution (every few seconds) and extensive trajectories (115.2 ± 112.1 nights; X̅ ± SD) we calculated movement and space-use indices (e.g., max-displacement and home-range size, respectively). We then used double-hierarchical and generalized linear mix-models to assess spatial-BTs, individual predictability in nightly max-displacement, and its consistency across time. Finally, we explored if predictability levels were associated with home-range size and survival, as well as the seasonal, geographical, and demographic factors affecting it (e.g., age, sex, and owls' density). RESULTS Our dataset (with 74 individuals after filtering) revealed clear patterns of individualism in owls' movement. Individuals differed consistently both in their mean movement (e.g., max-displacement) and their IIV around it (i.e., predictability). More predictable individuals had smaller home-ranges and lower survival rates, on top and beyond the expected effects of their spatial-BT (max-displacement), sex, age and ecological environments. Juveniles were less predictable than adults, but the sexes did not differ in their predictability. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that individual predictability may act as an overlooked axis of spatial-BT with potential implications for relevant ecological processes at the population level and individual fitness. Considering how individuals differ in their IIV of movement beyond the mean-effect can facilitate understanding the intraspecific diversity, predicting their responses to changing ecological conditions and their population management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shlomo Cain
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tovale Solomon
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yossi Leshem
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sivan Toledo
- Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Eitam Arnon
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Alexandre Roulin
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Building Biophore, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Orr Spiegel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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6
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Acácio M, Anglister N, Vaadia G, Harel R, Nathan R, Hatzofe O, Spiegel O. A lifetime track of a griffon vulture: The moving story of Rehovot (Y64). Ecology 2023; 104:e3985. [PMID: 36728319 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Acácio
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nili Anglister
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Gideon Vaadia
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Roi Harel
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ran Nathan
- Department of Ecology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ohad Hatzofe
- Science Division, Israeli Nature and Parks Authority, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Orr Spiegel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Morant J, Arrondo E, Sánchez‐Zapata JA, Donázar JA, Cortés‐Avizanda A, De La Riva M, Blanco G, Martínez F, Oltra J, Carrete M, Margalida A, Oliva‐Vidal P, Martínez JM, Serrano D, Pérez‐García JM. Large-scale movement patterns in a social vulture are influenced by seasonality, sex, and breeding region. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9817. [PMID: 36789342 PMCID: PMC9909000 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantifying space use and segregation, as well as the extrinsic and intrinsic factors affecting them, is crucial to increase our knowledge of species-specific movement ecology and to design effective management and conservation measures. This is particularly relevant in the case of species that are highly mobile and dependent on sparse and unpredictable trophic resources, such as vultures. Here, we used the GPS-tagged data of 127 adult Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus captured at five different breeding regions in Spain to describe the movement patterns (home-range size and fidelity, and monthly cumulative distance). We also examined how individual sex, season, and breeding region determined the cumulative distance traveled and the size and overlap between consecutive monthly home-ranges. Overall, Griffon Vultures exhibited very large annual home-range sizes of 5027 ± 2123 km2, mean monthly cumulative distances of 1776 ± 1497 km, and showed a monthly home-range fidelity of 67.8 ± 25.5%. However, individuals from northern breeding regions showed smaller home-ranges and traveled shorter monthly distances than those from southern ones. In all cases, home-ranges were larger in spring and summer than in winter and autumn, which could be related to difference in flying conditions and food requirements associated with reproduction. Moreover, females showed larger home-ranges and less monthly fidelity than males, indicating that the latter tended to use the similar areas throughout the year. Overall, our results indicate that both extrinsic and intrinsic factors modulate the home-range of the Griffon Vulture and that spatial segregation depends on sex and season at the individual level, without relevant differences between breeding regions in individual site fidelity. These results have important implications for conservation, such as identifying key threat factors necessary to improve management actions and policy decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Morant
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
| | - Eneko Arrondo
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
| | - José Antonio Sánchez‐Zapata
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
| | - José Antonio Donázar
- Departament of Conservation BiologyEstación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC)SevillaSpain
| | - Ainara Cortés‐Avizanda
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of SevilleSevilleSpain
| | - Manuel De La Riva
- Departament of Conservation BiologyEstación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC)SevillaSpain
| | - Guillermo Blanco
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Félix Martínez
- Escuela Internacional de DoctoradoUniversidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC)MadridSpain
| | - Juan Oltra
- Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural SystemsUniversidad Pablo de OlavideSevillaSpain
| | - Martina Carrete
- Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural SystemsUniversidad Pablo de OlavideSevillaSpain
| | - Antoni Margalida
- Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC)JacaSpain
- Institute for Game and Wildlife ResearchIREC (CSIC‐UCLM)Ciudad RealSpain
| | - Pilar Oliva‐Vidal
- Institute for Game and Wildlife ResearchIREC (CSIC‐UCLM)Ciudad RealSpain
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Life Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of LleidaLleidaSpain
| | - José Maria Martínez
- Departamento Medio Ambiente, Gobierno de AragónSubdirección General de Desarrollo Rural y SostenibilidadHuescaSpain
| | - David Serrano
- Departament of Conservation BiologyEstación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC)SevillaSpain
| | - Juan Manuel Pérez‐García
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
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Joo R, Picardi S, Boone ME, Clay TA, Patrick SC, Romero-Romero VS, Basille M. Recent trends in movement ecology of animals and human mobility. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:26. [PMID: 35614458 PMCID: PMC9134608 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00322-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Movement is fundamental to life, shaping population dynamics, biodiversity patterns, and ecosystem structure. In 2008, the movement ecology framework (MEF Nathan et al. in PNAS 105(49):19052-19059, 2008) introduced an integrative theory of organismal movement-linking internal state, motion capacity, and navigation capacity to external factors-which has been recognized as a milestone in the field. Since then, the study of movement experienced a technological boom, which provided massive quantities of tracking data of both animal and human movement globally and at ever finer spatio-temporal resolutions. In this work, we provide a quantitative assessment of the state of research within the MEF, focusing on animal movement, including humans and invertebrates, and excluding movement of plants and microorganisms. Using a text mining approach, we digitally scanned the contents of [Formula: see text] papers from 2009 to 2018 available online, identified tools and methods used, and assessed linkages between all components of the MEF. Over the past decade, the publication rate has increased considerably, along with major technological changes, such as an increased use of GPS devices and accelerometers and a majority of studies now using the R software environment for statistical computing. However, animal movement research still largely focuses on the effect of environmental factors on movement, with motion and navigation continuing to receive little attention. A search of topics based on words featured in abstracts revealed a clustering of papers among marine and terrestrial realms, as well as applications and methods across taxa. We discuss the potential for technological and methodological advances in the field to lead to more integrated and interdisciplinary research and an increased exploration of key movement processes such as navigation, as well as the evolutionary, physiological, and life-history consequences of movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Joo
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale, FL USA
- Global Fishing Watch, Washington DC, USA
| | - Simona Picardi
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale, FL USA
- Jack H. Berryman Institute and Department of Wildland Resources, S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT USA
| | - Matthew E. Boone
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale, FL USA
| | - Thomas A. Clay
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
| | | | - Vilma S. Romero-Romero
- Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, University of Lima, Lima, Peru
| | - Mathieu Basille
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale, FL USA
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9
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Apex scavengers from different European populations converge at threatened savannah landscapes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2500. [PMID: 35169202 PMCID: PMC8847400 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06436-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Over millennia, human intervention has transformed European habitats mainly through extensive livestock grazing. “Dehesas/Montados” are an Iberian savannah-like ecosystem dominated by oak-trees, bushes and grass species that are subject to agricultural and extensive livestock uses. They are a good example of how large-scale, low intensive transformations can maintain high biodiversity levels as well as socio-economic and cultural values. However, the role that these human-modified habitats can play for individuals or species living beyond their borders is unknown. Here, using a dataset of 106 adult GPS-tagged Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) monitored over seven years, we show how individuals breeding in western European populations from Northern, Central, and Southern Spain, and Southern France made long-range forays (LRFs) of up to 800 km to converge in the threatened Iberian “dehesas” to forage. There, extensive livestock and wild ungulates provide large amounts of carcasses, which are available to scavengers from traditional exploitations and rewilding processes. Our results highlight that maintaining Iberian “dehesas” is critical not only for local biodiversity but also for long-term conservation and the ecosystem services provided by avian scavengers across the continent.
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Efrat R, Hatzofe O, Berger-Tal O. Translating large-scale prioritization models for vultures to local-scale decision-making: response to Santangeli et al. 2019. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2020; 34:1305-1307. [PMID: 32531847 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ron Efrat
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, 8499000, Israel
| | - Ohad Hatzofe
- Science Division, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Am Ve'Olamo 3, Jerusalem, 95463, Israel
| | - Oded Berger-Tal
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, 8499000, Israel
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11
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McInturf AG, Pollack L, Yang LH, Spiegel O. Vectors with autonomy: what distinguishes animal‐mediated nutrient transport from abiotic vectors? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:1761-1773. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra G. McInturf
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 U.S.A
| | - Lea Pollack
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 U.S.A
| | - Louie H. Yang
- Department of Entomology and Nematology University of California, Davis One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616 U.S.A
| | - Orr Spiegel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences Sherman Building, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
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12
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Stochastic simulations reveal few green wave surfing populations among spring migrating herbivorous waterfowl. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2187. [PMID: 31097711 PMCID: PMC6522631 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09971-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Tracking seasonally changing resources is regarded as a widespread proximate mechanism underpinning animal migration. Migrating herbivores, for example, are hypothesized to track seasonal foliage dynamics over large spatial scales. Previous investigations of this green wave hypothesis involved few species and limited geographical extent, and used conventional correlation that cannot disentangle alternative correlated effects. Here, we introduce stochastic simulations to test this hypothesis using 222 individual spring migration episodes of 14 populations of ten species of geese, swans and dabbling ducks throughout Europe, East Asia, and North America. We find that the green wave cannot be considered a ubiquitous driver of herbivorous waterfowl spring migration, as it explains observed migration patterns of only a few grazing populations in specific regions. We suggest that ecological barriers and particularly human disturbance likely constrain the capacity of herbivorous waterfowl to track the green wave in some regions, highlighting key challenges in conserving migratory birds.
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13
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Synergistic effect of land-use and vegetation greenness on vulture nestling body condition in arid ecosystems. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13027. [PMID: 30158660 PMCID: PMC6115393 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31344-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate-driven environmental change and land-use change often interact in their impact on biodiversity, but these interactions have received little scientific attention. Here we study the effects of climate-driven environmental variation (i.e. vegetation greenness) and land-use (protected versus unprotected areas) on body condition of vulture nestlings in savannah landscapes. We combine ringing data on nestling measurements of two vultures (lappet-faced and African white-backed vulture) with land-use and environmental variables. We show that body condition of white-backed vulture nestlings decreased through the study period and was lowest inside protected areas. For the lappet-faced vulture, nestling condition was improved during harsh years with lower than average vegetation greenness assumed to result in increased ungulate mortality, but only within protected areas. Such interaction was not tested for the white-backed vulture due to collinearity. The species-specific effects of land-use and vegetation greenness on nestling condition of the two sympatric vulture species likely stem from their different life-histories, diet preferences and foraging behaviour. While translation of current findings on nestling conditions to their possible influence on population demography and species persistence require further studies, our findings demonstrate how environmental change may trigger selective bottom-up ecosystem responses in arid environments under global change.
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14
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Padró J, Lambertucci SA, Perrig PL, Pauli JN. Evidence of genetic structure in a wide-ranging and highly mobile soaring scavenger, the Andean condor. DIVERS DISTRIB 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julian Padró
- Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de la Conservación; Laboratorio Ecotono; INIBIOMA (Universidad Nacional del Comahue-CONICET); Bariloche Argentina
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology; University of Wisconsin-Madison; USA
| | - Sergio A. Lambertucci
- Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de la Conservación; Laboratorio Ecotono; INIBIOMA (Universidad Nacional del Comahue-CONICET); Bariloche Argentina
| | - Paula L. Perrig
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology; University of Wisconsin-Madison; USA
| | - Jonathan N. Pauli
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology; University of Wisconsin-Madison; USA
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15
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Harel R, Nathan R. The characteristic time‐scale of perceived information for decision‐making: Departure from thermal columns in soaring birds. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roi Harel
- Movement Ecology LabDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life SciencesThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Ran Nathan
- Movement Ecology LabDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life SciencesThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
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16
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Dougherty ER, Seidel DP, Carlson CJ, Spiegel O, Getz WM. Going through the motions: incorporating movement analyses into disease research. Ecol Lett 2018; 21:588-604. [PMID: 29446237 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Revised: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Though epidemiology dates back to the 1700s, most mathematical representations of epidemics still use transmission rates averaged at the population scale, especially for wildlife diseases. In simplifying the contact process, we ignore the heterogeneities in host movements that complicate the real world, and overlook their impact on spatiotemporal patterns of disease burden. Movement ecology offers a set of tools that help unpack the transmission process, letting researchers more accurately model how animals within a population interact and spread pathogens. Analytical techniques from this growing field can also help expose the reverse process: how infection impacts movement behaviours, and therefore other ecological processes like feeding, reproduction, and dispersal. Here, we synthesise the contributions of movement ecology in disease research, with a particular focus on studies that have successfully used movement-based methods to quantify individual heterogeneity in exposure and transmission risk. Throughout, we highlight the rapid growth of both disease and movement ecology and comment on promising but unexplored avenues for research at their overlap. Ultimately, we suggest, including movement empowers ecologists to pose new questions, expanding our understanding of host-pathogen dynamics and improving our predictive capacity for wildlife and even human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Dougherty
- Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Dana P Seidel
- Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Colin J Carlson
- Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Orr Spiegel
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Wayne M Getz
- Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Schools of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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17
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Sih A, Spiegel O, Godfrey S, Leu S, Bull CM. Integrating social networks, animal personalities, movement ecology and parasites: a framework with examples from a lizard. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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18
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Harel R, Duriez O, Spiegel O, Fluhr J, Horvitz N, Getz WM, Bouten W, Sarrazin F, Hatzofe O, Nathan R. Decision-making by a soaring bird: time, energy and risk considerations at different spatio-temporal scales. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2015.0397. [PMID: 27528787 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural selection theory suggests that mobile animals trade off time, energy and risk costs with food, safety and other pay-offs obtained by movement. We examined how birds make movement decisions by integrating aspects of flight biomechanics, movement ecology and behaviour in a hierarchical framework investigating flight track variation across several spatio-temporal scales. Using extensive global positioning system and accelerometer data from Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) in Israel and France, we examined soaring-gliding decision-making by comparing inbound versus outbound flights (to or from a central roost, respectively), and these (and other) home-range foraging movements (up to 300 km) versus long-range movements (longer than 300 km). We found that long-range movements and inbound flights have similar features compared with their counterparts: individuals reduced journey time by performing more efficient soaring-gliding flight, reduced energy expenditure by flapping less and were more risk-prone by gliding more steeply between thermals. Age, breeding status, wind conditions and flight altitude (but not sex) affected time and energy prioritization during flights. We therefore suggest that individuals facing time, energy and risk trade-offs during movements make similar decisions across a broad range of ecological contexts and spatial scales, presumably owing to similarity in the uncertainty about movement outcomes.This article is part of the themed issue 'Moving in a moving medium: new perspectives on flight'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roi Harel
- Movement Ecology Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Olivier Duriez
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, EPHE, 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Cedex 05, Montpellier, France
| | - Orr Spiegel
- Movement Ecology Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Jerusalem 91904, Israel Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Julie Fluhr
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, EPHE, 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Cedex 05, Montpellier, France
| | - Nir Horvitz
- Movement Ecology Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Wayne M Getz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Willem Bouten
- Computational Geo-Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1094 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ohad Hatzofe
- Science Division, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ran Nathan
- Movement Ecology Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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19
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Harel R, Spiegel O, Getz WM, Nathan R. Social foraging and individual consistency in following behaviour: testing the information centre hypothesis in free-ranging vultures. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 284:rspb.2016.2654. [PMID: 28404771 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Uncertainties regarding food location and quality are among the greatest challenges faced by foragers and communal roosting may facilitate success through social foraging. The information centre hypothesis (ICH) suggests that uninformed individuals at shared roosts benefit from following informed individuals to previously visited resources. We tested several key prerequisites of the ICH in a social obligate scavenger, the Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), by tracking movements and behaviour of sympatric individuals over extended periods and across relatively large spatial scales, thereby precluding alternative explanations such as local enhancement. In agreement with the ICH, we found that 'informed' individuals returning to previously visited carcasses were followed by 'uninformed' vultures that consequently got access to these resources. When a dyad (two individuals that depart from the same roost within 2 min of each other) included an informed individual, they spent a higher proportion of the flight time close to each other at a shorter distance between them than otherwise. Although all individuals occasionally profited from following others, they differed in their tendencies to be informed or uninformed. This study provides evidence for 'following behaviour' in natural conditions and demonstrates differential roles and information states among foragers within a population. Moreover, demonstrating the possible reliance of vultures on following behaviour emphasizes that individuals in declining populations may suffer from reduced foraging efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roi Harel
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Orr Spiegel
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.,Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Wayne M Getz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Ran Nathan
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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20
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Freund M, Bahat O, Motro U. Nest-Site Fidelity in Griffon Vultures: A Case of Win–Stay/Lose–Shift? Isr J Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/22244662-06301007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
We studied the use of nest-sites by Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) and the breeding success in these sites during 1998–2002 in Gamla Nature Reserve (Israel). Nest-sites in which a breeding attempt succeeded in fledging a young, were more likely to be occupied by nesting vultures in the following breeding season, than nest-sites that experienced a failure. This suggests that Griffon Vultures in Gamla used a Win–Stay/Lose–Shift strategy regarding nest-site fidelity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Freund
- aThe Program of Environmental Studies, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
- bPresent address: Kibutz Sde-Eliyahu 10810, Israel
| | - Ofer Bahat
- cScientific Director – Israel Raptor Conservation and Research Project, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, Israel Nature and Parks Authority and Israel Electric Corporation
- dPresent address: 24 Haoranim Street, Zichron-Yaakov 30900, Israel
| | - Uzi Motro
- eDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Department of Statistics, and The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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21
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Spiegel O, Leu ST, Bull CM, Sih A. What's your move? Movement as a link between personality and spatial dynamics in animal populations. Ecol Lett 2016; 20:3-18. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Orr Spiegel
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California Davis CA USA
| | - Stephan T. Leu
- School of Biological Sciences Flinders University GPO Box 2100 Adelaide SA Australia
- Department of Biology Georgetown University Washington DC USA
| | - C. Michael Bull
- School of Biological Sciences Flinders University GPO Box 2100 Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Andrew Sih
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California Davis CA USA
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22
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Spiegel O, Crofoot MC. The feedback between where we go and what we know — information shapes movement, but movement also impacts information acquisition. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2016.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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23
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Short-term effects of tagging on activity and movement patterns of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber). EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-016-1051-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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24
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Centeno-Cuadros A, Abbasi I, Nathan R. Sex determination in the wild: a field application of loop-mediated isothermal amplification successfully determines sex across three raptor species. Mol Ecol Resour 2016; 17:153-160. [PMID: 27235333 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Revised: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PCR-based methods are the most common technique for sex determination of birds. Although these methods are fast, easy and accurate, they still require special facilities that preclude their application outdoors. Consequently, there is a time lag between sampling and obtaining results that impedes researchers to take decisions in situ and in real time considering individuals' sex. We present an outdoor technique for sex determination of birds based on the amplification of the duplicated sex-chromosome-specific gene Chromo-Helicase-DNA binding protein using a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). We tested our method on Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and Black Kite (Milvus migrans) (family Accipitridae). We introduce the first fieldwork procedure for sex determination of animals in the wild, successfully applied to raptor species of three different subfamilies using the same specific LAMP primers. This molecular technique can be deployed directly in sampling areas because it only needs a voltage inverter to adapt a thermo-block to a car lighter and results can be obtained by the unaided eye based on colour change within the reaction tubes. Primers and reagents are prepared in advance to facilitate their storage at room temperature. We provide detailed guidelines how to implement this procedure, which is simpler (no electrophoresis required), cheaper and faster (results in c. 90 min) than PCR-based laboratory methods. Our successful cross-species application across three different raptor subfamilies posits our set of markers as a promising tool for molecular sexing of other raptor families and our field protocol extensible to all bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Centeno-Cuadros
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, Faculty of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.,Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avda. Américo Vespucio, s/n, Isla de la Cartuja, Seville, 41092, Spain
| | - I Abbasi
- Kuvin Center, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - R Nathan
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, Faculty of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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25
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Adult vultures outperform juveniles in challenging thermal soaring conditions. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27865. [PMID: 27291590 PMCID: PMC4904409 DOI: 10.1038/srep27865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the potentially detrimental consequences of low performance in basic functional tasks, individuals are expected to improve performance with age and show the most marked changes during early stages of life. Soaring-gliding birds use rising-air columns (thermals) to reduce energy expenditure allocated to flight. We offer a framework to evaluate thermal soaring performance, and use GPS-tracking to study movements of Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus). Because the location and intensity of thermals are variable, we hypothesized that soaring performance would improve with experience and predicted that the performance of inexperienced individuals (<2 months) would be inferior to that of experienced ones (>5 years). No differences were found in body characteristics, climb rates under low wind shear, and thermal selection, presumably due to vultures’ tendency to forage in mixed-age groups. Adults, however, outperformed juveniles in their ability to adjust fine-scale movements under challenging conditions, as juveniles had lower climb rates under intermediate wind shear, particularly on the lee-side of thermal columns. Juveniles were also less efficient along the route both in terms of time and energy. The consequences of these handicaps are probably exacerbated if juveniles lag behind adults in finding and approaching food.
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26
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Spiegel O, Leu ST, Sih A, Bull CM. Socially interacting or indifferent neighbours? Randomization of movement paths to tease apart social preference and spatial constraints. Methods Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Orr Spiegel
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California Davis, Wickson Hall One Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 USA
| | - Stephan T. Leu
- School of Biological Sciences Flinders University GPO Box 2100 Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Andrew Sih
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California Davis, Wickson Hall One Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 USA
| | - C. Michael Bull
- School of Biological Sciences Flinders University GPO Box 2100 Adelaide SA Australia
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27
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Graf PM, Wilson RP, Qasem L, Hackländer K, Rosell F. The Use of Acceleration to Code for Animal Behaviours; A Case Study in Free-Ranging Eurasian Beavers Castor fiber. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0136751. [PMID: 26317623 PMCID: PMC4552556 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 08/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent technological innovations have led to the development of miniature, accelerometer-containing electronic loggers which can be attached to free-living animals. Accelerometers provide information on both body posture and dynamism which can be used as descriptors to define behaviour. We deployed tri-axial accelerometer loggers on 12 free-ranging Eurasian beavers Castor fiber in the county of Telemark, Norway, and on four captive beavers (two Eurasian beavers and two North American beavers C. canadensis) to corroborate acceleration signals with observed behaviours. By using random forests for classifying behavioural patterns of beavers from accelerometry data, we were able to distinguish seven behaviours; standing, walking, swimming, feeding, grooming, diving and sleeping. We show how to apply the use of acceleration to determine behaviour, and emphasise the ease with which this non-invasive method can be implemented. Furthermore, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this, and the implementation of accelerometry on animals, illustrating limitations, suggestions and solutions. Ultimately, this approach may also serve as a template facilitating studies on other animals with similar locomotor modes and deliver new insights into hitherto unknown aspects of behavioural ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia M. Graf
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, Telemark University College, Bø i Telemark, Norway
- Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail:
| | - Rory P. Wilson
- Swansea Moving Animal Research Team, Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Lama Qasem
- Swansea Moving Animal Research Team, Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Klaus Hackländer
- Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Frank Rosell
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, Telemark University College, Bø i Telemark, Norway
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28
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Wheatley R, Angilletta MJ, Niehaus AC, Wilson RS. How Fast Should an Animal Run When Escaping? An Optimality Model Based on the Trade-Off Between Speed and Accuracy. Integr Comp Biol 2015; 55:1166-75. [PMID: 26254873 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icv091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
How fast should animals move when trying to survive? Although many studies have examined how fast animals can move, the fastest speed is not always best. For example, an individual escaping from a predator must run fast enough to escape, but not so fast that it slips and falls. To explore this idea, we developed a simple mathematical model that predicts the optimal speed for an individual running from a predator along a straight beam. A beam was used as a proxy for straight-line running with severe consequences for missteps. We assumed that success, defined as reaching the end of the beam, had two broad requirements: (1) running fast enough to escape a predator, and (2) minimizing the probability of making a mistake that would compromise speed. Our model can be tailored to different systems by revising the predator's maximal speed, the prey's stride length and motor coordination, and the dimensions of the beam. Our model predicts that animals should run slower when the beam is narrower or when coordination is worse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Wheatley
- *School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia;
| | | | - Amanda C Niehaus
- *School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Robbie S Wilson
- *School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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