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Adams CB, Papeş M, Price CA, Freeberg TM. Influence of social and physical environmental variation on antipredator behavior in mixed-species parid flocks. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0295910. [PMID: 38128009 PMCID: PMC10735029 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295910] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) and tufted titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) regularly form flocks with multiple species through the winter months, including white-breasted nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis). Earlier studies found that behavior of both chickadees and titmice was sensitive to mixed-species flock composition. Little is known about the influence of background noise level and vegetation density on the antipredator behaviors of individuals within these flocks, however. We tested for the effects of vegetation density, traffic noise, and flock composition (conspecific number, flock diversity, and flock size) on antipredator behavioral responses following an alarm call playback (Study 1) and an owl model presentation (Study 2) at feeders. We recorded background traffic noise and performed lidar scans to quantify vegetation density at each site. After a feeder had been stocked with seed and a flock was present, we recorded calls produced, and we identified flock composition metrics. We coded seed-taking latency, call latency, mob latency, and mob duration following the respective stimulus presentation and tested for effects of flock composition metrics, vegetation density, and background noise on these responses. For the alarm call playback study, flock composition drove behaviors in chickadees and titmice, and vegetation density drove behaviors in chickadees and nuthatches. For the owl model study, conspecific number predicted behavior in chickadees, and mob duration was predicted by nuthatch number. The results reveal individual sensitivity to group composition in anti-predatory and foraging behavior in simulated risky contexts. Additionally, our data suggest that the modality of perceived simulated risk (acoustic vs. visual) and the density of vegetation influence behavior in these groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colton B. Adams
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Monica Papeş
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Charles A. Price
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Todd M. Freeberg
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
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2
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Incongruences between morphology and molecular phylogeny provide an insight into the diversification of the Crocidura poensis species complex. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10531. [PMID: 35732784 PMCID: PMC9217945 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12615-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Untangling the factors of morphological evolution has long held a central role in the study of evolutionary biology. Extant speciose clades that have only recently diverged are ideal study subjects, as they allow the examination of rapid morphological variation in a phylogenetic context, providing insights into a clade’s evolution. Here, we focus on skull morphological variability in a widely distributed shrew species complex, the Crocidura poensis species complex. The relative effects of taxonomy, size, geography, climate and habitat on skull form were tested, as well as the presence of a phylogenetic signal. Taxonomy was the best predictor of skull size and shape, but surprisingly both size and shape exhibited no significant phylogenetic signal. This paper describes one of the few cases within a mammal clade where morphological evolution does not match the phylogeny. The second strongest predictor for shape variation was size, emphasizing that allometry can represent an easily accessed source of morphological variability within complexes of cryptic species. Taking into account species relatedness, habitat preferences, geographical distribution and differences in skull form, our results lean in favor of a parapatric speciation model within this complex of species, where divergence occurred along an ecological gradient, rather than a geographic barrier.
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3
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Vijayan S, Balaban-Feld J, Badichi S, Tamar Tov-Elem L, Kotler BP, Mitchell WA, Abramsky Z. The bigger the better? Predation and prey size choice in a patchy environment. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1913449] [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]
Affiliation(s)
- Sundararaj Vijayan
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Jesse Balaban-Feld
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Shamir Badichi
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | | | - Burt P. Kotler
- Marco and Louise Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, SIDEER, BIDR, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - William A. Mitchell
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terra Haute, Indiana 47809, USA
| | - Zvika Abramsky
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
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4
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5
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Killen SS, Cortese D, Cotgrove L, Jolles JW, Munson A, Ioannou CC. The Potential for Physiological Performance Curves to Shape Environmental Effects on Social Behavior. Front Physiol 2021; 12:754719. [PMID: 34858209 PMCID: PMC8632012 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.754719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
As individual animals are exposed to varying environmental conditions, phenotypic plasticity will occur in a vast array of physiological traits. For example, shifts in factors such as temperature and oxygen availability can affect the energy demand, cardiovascular system, and neuromuscular function of animals that in turn impact individual behavior. Here, we argue that nonlinear changes in the physiological traits and performance of animals across environmental gradients—known as physiological performance curves—may have wide-ranging effects on the behavior of individual social group members and the functioning of animal social groups as a whole. Previous work has demonstrated how variation between individuals can have profound implications for socially living animals, as well as how environmental conditions affect social behavior. However, the importance of variation between individuals in how they respond to changing environmental conditions has so far been largely overlooked in the context of animal social behavior. First, we consider the broad effects that individual variation in performance curves may have on the behavior of socially living animals, including: (1) changes in the rank order of performance capacity among group mates across environments; (2) environment-dependent changes in the amount of among- and within-individual variation, and (3) differences among group members in terms of the environmental optima, the critical environmental limits, and the peak capacity and breadth of performance. We then consider the ecological implications of these effects for a range of socially mediated phenomena, including within-group conflict, within- and among group assortment, collective movement, social foraging, predator-prey interactions and disease and parasite transfer. We end by outlining the type of empirical work required to test the implications for physiological performance curves in social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun S Killen
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Daphne Cortese
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy Cotgrove
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Jolle W Jolles
- Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Campus de Bellaterra (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Amelia Munson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Christos C Ioannou
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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6
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Capp JP, DeGregori J, Nedelcu AM, Dujon AM, Boutry J, Pujol P, Alix-Panabières C, Hamede R, Roche B, Ujvari B, Marusyk A, Gatenby R, Thomas F. Group phenotypic composition in cancer. eLife 2021; 10:63518. [PMID: 33784238 PMCID: PMC8009660 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although individual cancer cells are generally considered the Darwinian units of selection in malignant populations, they frequently act as members of groups where fitness of the group cannot be reduced to the average fitness of individual group members. A growing body of studies reveals limitations of reductionist approaches to explaining biological and clinical observations. For example, induction of angiogenesis, inhibition of the immune system, and niche engineering through environmental acidification and/or remodeling of extracellular matrix cannot be achieved by single tumor cells and require collective actions of groups of cells. Success or failure of such group activities depends on the phenotypic makeup of the individual group members. Conversely, these group activities affect the fitness of individual members of the group, ultimately affecting the composition of the group. This phenomenon, where phenotypic makeup of individual group members impacts the fitness of both members and groups, has been captured in the term 'group phenotypic composition' (GPC). We provide examples where considerations of GPC could help in understanding the evolution and clinical progression of cancers and argue that use of the GPC framework can facilitate new insights into cancer biology and assist with the development of new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Pascal Capp
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute, University of Toulouse, INSA, CNRS, INRAE, Toulouse, France
| | - James DeGregori
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, United States
| | - Aurora M Nedelcu
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Antoine M Dujon
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France.,Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Justine Boutry
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Pascal Pujol
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Catherine Alix-Panabières
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France.,Laboratory of Rare Human Circulating Cells (LCCRH), University Medical Centre of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Rodrigo Hamede
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Benjamin Roche
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Beata Ujvari
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.,School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Andriy Marusyk
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States
| | - Robert Gatenby
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States
| | - Frédéric Thomas
- CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
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7
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Raventos N, Torrado H, Arthur R, Alcoverro T, Macpherson E. Temperature reduces fish dispersal as larvae grow faster to their settlement size. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1419-1432. [PMID: 33508875 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
As species struggle to cope with rising ocean temperatures, temperate marine assemblages are facing major reorganization. Many benthic species have a brief but critical period dispersing through the plankton, when they are particularly susceptible to variations in temperature. Impacts of rising temperatures can thus ripple through the population with community-wide consequences. However, responses are highly species-specific, making it difficult to discern assemblage-wide patterns in the life histories of different fish species. Here, we evaluate the responses to temperature in the early life histories of several fish species using otolith reconstructive techniques. We also assess the consequences of future warming scenarios to this assemblage. We sampled recent settlers of nine common species across a temperature gradient in the Mediterranean Sea and obtained environmental data for each individual. Using otolith microstructure, we measured early life traits including pelagic larval duration (PLD), growth rate, settlement size, hatching and settlement dates. We used a GLM framework to examine how environmental variables influenced early life-history parameters. We show that increasing temperature results in considerable reduction in the dispersal potential of temperate fish. We find a nearly universal, assemblage-wide decline in pelagic larval duration (PLD) of between 10% and 25%. This was because, with increasing temperature, larvae grew quicker to their settlement size. Settlement size itself was less affected by temperature and appears to be an ontogenetically fixed process. Given current estimates of ocean warming, there could be an assemblage-wide reduction in larval dispersal of up to 50 km across the Mediterranean, reducing connectivity and potentially isolating populations as waters warm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Raventos
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes, CEAB-CSIC, Girona, Spain
| | - Héctor Torrado
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes, CEAB-CSIC, Girona, Spain.,Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IRBIO, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rohan Arthur
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes, CEAB-CSIC, Girona, Spain.,Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore, India
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8
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Pita D, Fernández-Juricic E. Zebrafish Neighbor Distance Changes Relative to Conspecific Size, Position in the Water Column, and the Horizon: A Video-Playback Experiment. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.568752] [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
Many fish form schools and maintain visual contact with their neighbors in a three-dimensional environment. In this study, we assessed whether zebrafish modified their spacing and interaction time in an additive or multiplicative way relative to multiple sources of social information using computer animations. We simultaneously manipulated: (a) the size of the virtual conspecific (as a proxy of social cue magnitude), (b) the position of the virtual conspecific in the water column (as a proxy of the level of perceived risk), and (c) the absence/presence of the visual horizon (as a proxy of depth perception). We found that the size of the virtual conspecific independently affected spacing behavior (zebrafish increased their separation distance as conspecific size increased). However, some of these factors interacted significantly, such that their effects on social behavior depended on each other. For instance, zebrafish increased their separation distance under high risk conditions when the virtual conspecific was larger, but this risk effect disappeared when the conspecific was the same size or smaller, likely to avoid aggression. Also, zebrafish increased their separation distance when depth perception was enhanced under low risk conditions, but the effect of depth perception disappeared under high risk conditions. Overall, we found that certain dimensions of the visual social environment affected zebrafish spacing behavior in different ways, but they did not affect social interaction time. We discuss the implications of these findings for the spatial organization of fish schools.
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9
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Paijmans KC, Booth DJ, Wong MYL. Odd one in: Oddity within mixed‐species shoals does not affect shoal preference by vagrant tropical damselfish in the presence or absence of a predator. Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kai C. Paijmans
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences University of Wollongong Wollongong NSW Australia
| | - David J. Booth
- Fish Ecology Lab University of Technology Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Marian Y. L. Wong
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences University of Wollongong Wollongong NSW Australia
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10
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Cuthbert RN, Wasserman RJ, Dalu T, Kaiser H, Weyl OLF, Dick JTA, Sentis A, McCoy MW, Alexander ME. Influence of intra- and interspecific variation in predator-prey body size ratios on trophic interaction strengths. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:5946-5962. [PMID: 32607203 PMCID: PMC7319243 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Predation is a pervasive force that structures food webs and directly influences ecosystem functioning. The relative body sizes of predators and prey may be an important determinant of interaction strengths. However, studies quantifying the combined influence of intra- and interspecific variation in predator-prey body size ratios are lacking.We use a comparative functional response approach to examine interaction strengths between three size classes of invasive bluegill and largemouth bass toward three scaled size classes of their tilapia prey. We then quantify the influence of intra- and interspecific predator-prey body mass ratios on the scaling of attack rates and handling times.Type II functional responses were displayed by both predators across all predator and prey size classes. Largemouth bass consumed more than bluegill at small and intermediate predator size classes, while large predators of both species were more similar. Small prey were most vulnerable overall; however, differential attack rates among prey were emergent across predator sizes. For both bluegill and largemouth bass, small predators exhibited higher attack rates toward small and intermediate prey sizes, while larger predators exhibited greater attack rates toward large prey. Conversely, handling times increased with prey size, with small bluegill exhibiting particularly low feeding rates toward medium-large prey types. Attack rates for both predators peaked unimodally at intermediate predator-prey body mass ratios, while handling times generally shortened across increasing body mass ratios.We thus demonstrate effects of body size ratios on predator-prey interaction strengths between key fish species, with attack rates and handling times dependent on the relative sizes of predator-prey participants.Considerations for intra- and interspecific body size ratio effects are critical for predicting the strengths of interactions within ecosystems and may drive differential ecological impacts among invasive species as size ratios shift.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross N. Cuthbert
- GEOMARHelmholtz‐Zentrum für Ozeanforschung KielKielGermany
- Institute for Global Food SecuritySchool of Biological SciencesQueen's University BelfastBelfastUK
- South African Institute for Aquatic BiodiversityMakhandaSouth Africa
| | - Ryan J. Wasserman
- South African Institute for Aquatic BiodiversityMakhandaSouth Africa
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyRhodes UniversityMakhandaSouth Africa
| | - Tatenda Dalu
- South African Institute for Aquatic BiodiversityMakhandaSouth Africa
- Department of Ecology and Resource ManagementUniversity of VendaThohoyandouSouth Africa
| | - Horst Kaiser
- Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries ScienceRhodes UniversityMakhandaSouth Africa
| | - Olaf L. F. Weyl
- Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries ScienceRhodes UniversityMakhandaSouth Africa
- DSI/NRF Research Chair in Inland Fisheries and Freshwater EcologySouth African Institute for Aquatic BiodiversityMakhandaSouth Africa
| | - Jaimie T. A. Dick
- Institute for Global Food SecuritySchool of Biological SciencesQueen's University BelfastBelfastUK
| | - Arnaud Sentis
- INRAEAix Marseille UniversityUMR RECOVERAix‐en‐ProvenceFrance
| | | | - Mhairi E. Alexander
- South African Institute for Aquatic BiodiversityMakhandaSouth Africa
- Institute for Biomedical and Environmental Health ResearchSchool of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of the West of ScotlandPaisleyUK
- Department of Botany and ZoologyCentre for Invasion BiologyStellenbosch UniversityMatielandSouth Africa
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11
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Aivaz AN, Manica A, Neuhaus P, Ruckstuhl KE. Picky predators and odd prey: colour and size matter in predator choice and zebrafish’s vulnerability – a refinement of the oddity effect. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2019.1680445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Angela N. Aivaz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Andrea Manica
- Zoology Department, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Peter Neuhaus
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Kathreen E. Ruckstuhl
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
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12
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Dobbinson KE, Skarratt PA, Morrell LJ. Computerized stimuli for studying oddity effects. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Visually hunting predators must overcome the challenges that prey groups present. One such challenge is the confusion effect where an overburdened visual system means predators are unable to successfully target prey. A strategy to overcome confusion is the targeting of distinct, or odd, individuals (the oddity effect). In live prey experiments, manipulation of group member phenotypes can be challenging and prey may differ on more than the single feature one intends to define as odd. The use of highly controllable computerized stimuli to study predator–prey interactions is increasingly popular in the field of behavioral ecology. However, to our knowledge, the validity of computerized stimuli to study the oddity effect has not been established. Predator choice experiments were conducted using naive stickleback predators to ascertain whether the oddity effect could be demonstrated in the absence of live prey. We found evidence for both the oddity effect and preferential targeting of group edges and low-density regions, as would be predicted if predators targeted prey individuals to minimize confusion. The oddity effect was evident at a low threshold, above which dots were no longer perceived as odd and no longer attacked more often than expected by chance. We conclude that computerized stimuli are an improved, practical method for studying oddity effects while further validating the use of similar methods for studying other aspects of visual predation. In addition to higher control of “prey” appearance, the replacement of live prey animals with digital stimuli is ethically beneficial and reusing code improves experimental efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khia E Dobbinson
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | | | - Lesley J Morrell
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, UK
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13
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Jones HH, Sieving KE. Foraging ecology drives social information reliance in an avian eavesdropping community. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:11584-11597. [PMID: 31695870 PMCID: PMC6822049 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrates obtain social information about predation risk by eavesdropping on the alarm calls of sympatric species. In the Holarctic, birds in the family Paridae function as sentinel species; however, factors shaping eavesdroppers' reliance on their alarm calls are unknown. We compared three hypothesized drivers of eavesdropper reliance: (a) foraging ecology, (b) degree of sociality, and (c) call relevance (caller-to-eavesdropper body-size difference). In a rigorous causal-comparative design, we presented Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) alarm calls to 242 individuals of 31 ecologically diverse bird species in Florida forests and recorded presence/absence and type (diving for cover or freezing in place) of response. Playback response was near universal, as individuals responded to 87% of presentations (N = 211). As an exception to this trend, the sit-and-wait flycatcher Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) represented 48% of the nonresponses. We tested 12 predictor variables representing measures relevant to the three hypothesized drivers, distance to playback speaker, and vulnerability at time of playback (eavesdropper's microhabitat when alarm call is detected). Using model-averaged generalized linear models, we determined that foraging ecology best predicted playback response, with aerial foragers responding less often. Foraging ecology (distance from trunk) and microhabitat occupied during playback (distance to escape cover) best predicted escape behavior type. We encountered a sparsity of sit-and-wait flycatchers (3 spp.), yet their contrasting responses relative to other foraging behaviors clearly identified foraging ecology as a driver of species-specific antipredator escape behavior. Our findings align well with known links between the exceptional visual acuity and other phenotypic traits of flycatchers that allow them to rely more heavily on personal rather than social information while foraging. Our results suggest that foraging ecology drives species-specific antipredator behavior based on the availability and type of escape cover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison H. Jones
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
| | - Kathryn E. Sieving
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
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14
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Roth AM, Firth JA, Patrick SC, Cole EF, Sheldon BC. Partner’s age, not social environment, predicts extrapair paternity in wild great tits (Parus major). Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
An individual’s fitness is not only influenced by its own phenotype, but by the phenotypes of interacting conspecifics. This is likely to be particularly true when considering fitness gains and losses caused by extrapair matings, as they depend directly on the social environment. While previous work has explored effects of dyadic interactions, limited understanding exists regarding how group-level characteristics of the social environment affect extrapair paternity (EPP) and cuckoldry. We use a wild population of great tits (Parus major) to examine how, in addition to the phenotypes of focal parents, two neighborhood-level traits—age and personality composition—predict EPP and cuckoldry. We used the well-studied trait “exploration behavior” as a measure of the reactive-proactive personality axis. Because breeding pairs inhabit a continuous “social landscape,” we first established an ecologically relevant definition of a breeding “neighborhood” through genotyping parents and nestlings in a 51-ha patch of woodland and assessing the spatial predictors of EPP events. Using the observed decline in likelihood of EPP with increasing spatial separation between nests, we determined the relevant neighborhood boundaries, and thus the group phenotypic composition of an individual’s neighborhood, by calculating the point at which the likelihood of EPP became negligible. We found no evidence that “social environment” effects (i.e., neighborhood age or personality composition) influenced EPP or cuckoldry. We did, however, find that a female’s own age influenced the EPP of her social mate, with males paired to older females gaining more EPP, even when controlling for the social environment. These findings suggest that partner characteristics, rather than group phenotypic composition, influence mating activity patterns at the individual level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Roth
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, Oxford, UK
- St. Catherine’s College, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Josh A Firth
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, Oxford, UK
- Merton College, Oxford, UK
| | - Samantha C Patrick
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Ella F Cole
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Ben C Sheldon
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, Oxford, UK
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15
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Goodale E, Ruxton GD, Beauchamp G. Predator Eavesdropping in a Mixed-Species Environment: How Prey Species May Use Grouping, Confusion, and the Cocktail Party Effect to Reduce Predator Detection. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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16
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Raveh S, Langen K, Bakker TCM, Josephs C, Frommen JG. Oddity, predation risk and social decisions in aquatic invertebrates. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Raveh
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Hinterkappelen Switzerland
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Kathrin Langen
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology; University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
- Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig; Leibniz Institute for Animal Biodiversity; Bonn Germany
| | - Theo C. M. Bakker
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology; University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
| | - Christian Josephs
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology; University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
| | - Joachim G. Frommen
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Hinterkappelen Switzerland
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology; University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
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17
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Phenotypic assortment by body shape in wild-caught fish shoals. Naturwissenschaften 2018; 105:53. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-018-1581-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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18
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Conspecific boldness and predator species determine predation-risk consequences of prey personality. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2544-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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19
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Hasenjager MJ, Dugatkin LA. Fear of predation shapes social network structure and the acquisition of foraging information in guppy shoals. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.2020. [PMID: 29167364 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatio-temporal variation in predation risk is predicted to select for plastic anti-predator responses, which may in turn impact the fine-scale social structure of prey groups and processes mediated by that structure. To test these predictions, we manipulated the ambient predation risk experienced by Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata) groups before quantifying their social networks and recording individual latencies to approach and solve a novel foraging task. High-risk conditions drove the formation of social networks that were more strongly assorted by body size than those exposed to low ambient risk and promoted longer durations of contact between preferred partners. Additionally, high background predation risk reduced the probability individuals would approach and solve a novel foraging task. Network-based diffusion analysis revealed that while social transmission of the task solution from knowledgeable to naive individuals occurred at a higher rate within low-risk groups, individuals in high-risk groups were particularly likely to investigate the task while shoaling with preferred social partners. Taken together, our results suggest that the structure and functional importance of prey social networks may partly depend on local predation pressure. Furthermore, by influencing individuals' access to information, fear of predation may impact decision-making in a potentially wide array of behavioural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Hasenjager
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA .,School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Lee A Dugatkin
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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20
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Penry-Williams IL, Ioannou CC, Taylor MI. The oddity effect drives prey choice but not necessarily attack time. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Martin I. Taylor
- School of Biological Sciences; University of East Anglia; Norwich UK
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21
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Quattrini FG, Bshary R, Roche DG. Does the presence of an odd individual affect group choice? Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fausto G Quattrini
- Éco-éthologie, Institut de Biologie, Université de Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Redouan Bshary
- Éco-éthologie, Institut de Biologie, Université de Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Dominique G Roche
- Éco-éthologie, Institut de Biologie, Université de Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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22
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Duffield C, Ioannou CC. Marginal predation: do encounter or confusion effects explain the targeting of prey group edges? Behav Ecol 2017; 28:1283-1292. [PMID: 29622928 PMCID: PMC5873256 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Marginal predation, also known as the edge effect, occurs when aggregations of prey are preferentially targeted on their periphery by predators and has long been established in many taxa. Two main processes have been used to explain this phenomenon, the confusion effect and the encounter rate between predators and prey group edges. However, it is unknown at what size a prey group needs to be before marginal predation is detectable and to what extent each mechanism drives the effect. We conducted 2 experiments using groups of virtual prey being preyed upon by 3-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) to address these questions. In Experiment 1, we show that group sizes do not need to be large for marginal predation to occur, with this being detectable in groups of 16 or more. In Experiment 2, we find that encounter rate is a more likely explanation for marginal predation than the confusion effect in this system. We find that while confusion does affect predatory behaviors (whether or not predators make an attack), it does not affect marginal predation. Our results suggest that marginal predation is a more common phenomenon than originally thought as it also applies to relatively small groups. Similarly, as marginal predation does not need the confusion effect to occur, it may occur in a wider range of predator–prey species pairings, for example those where the predators search for prey using nonvisual sensory modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callum Duffield
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Christos C Ioannou
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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23
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Tang ZH, Wu H, Huang Q, Kuang L, Fu SJ. The shoaling behavior of two cyprinid species in conspecific and heterospecific groups. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3397. [PMID: 28584722 PMCID: PMC5452940 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mixed-species shoals of fish are frequently found in the field; however, little is known about individual-level interactions within these groups. We examined the collective motion of two cyprinid species (Chinese bream, Parabramis pekinensis, and qingbo, Spinibarbus sinensis) that occupy partially overlapping habitats but differ in social behavior (high vs low aggressiveness) and preferred flow regime (slow vs fast water velocity). We extracted measures of collective motion from video recordings of eight replicate groups of four individuals of either Chinese bream or qingbo (conspecific group) or two Chinese bream plus two qingbo (heterospecific group). Chinese bream in conspecific groups showed lower percent time moving and mean swimming speed but a similar speed while moving as compared to the qingbo conspecific groups. However, the difference in mean swimming speed and percent time moving vanished in the heterospecific group as Chinese bream elevated their swimming activity to coordinate with qingbo. This finding suggests that the two species may share similar interaction rules regarding shoaling behavior. The conspecific groups of qingbo exhibited a greater distance between group members than Chinese bream, suggesting a difference in cohesion. However, the inter-individual distances of all fish were similar in the heterospecific group. Qingbo in the heterospecific group swam more frequently at the front compared to Chinese bream, possibly due to their higher activity level. We also measured the startle response to an artificial stimulus and found that there was no significant difference among groups. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that in the heterospecific groups, Chinese bream elevated their percent time moving while qingbo decreased their inter-individual distance to achieve consistent collective movement; thus, the two species showed similar behavior in the mixed-species group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Hua Tang
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hui Wu
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qing Huang
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lu Kuang
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shi-Jian Fu
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
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24
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Tang ZH, Huang Q, Wu H, Kuang L, Fu SJ. The behavioral response of prey fish to predators: the role of predator size. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3222. [PMID: 28439473 PMCID: PMC5401624 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Predation is one of the key factors governing patterns in natural systems, and adjustments of prey behaviors in response to a predator stimulus can have important ecological implications for wild fish. To investigate the effects of predators on the behavior of prey fish and to test whether the possible effects varied with predator size, black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) and snakehead (Channa argus) (a size-matched predator treatment with a similar body size to prey fish and a larger predator treatment with approximately 2.7 times of the body mass of prey fish) were selected to function as prey and predator, respectively. Their spontaneous activities were videorecorded in a central circular arena surrounded by a ring holding the stimulus fish. The distance between prey and predator fish was approximately 200% of the distance between two prey fish, which suggested that black carp can distinguish their conspecifics from heterospecifics and probably recognize the snakehead as a potential predator. The prey fish spent substantially less time moving and exhibited an overall shorter total distance of movement after the size-matched or large predator was introduced, which possibly occurred due to increased vigilance or efforts to reduce the possibility of detection by potential predators. However, there was no significant difference in either distance or spontaneous activities between two predator treatments. These findings suggested that (1) an anti-predator strategy in black carp might involve maintaining a safe distance, decreasing activity and possibly increased vigilance and that (2) the behaviors of prey response to predators were not influenced by their relative size difference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Hua Tang
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qing Huang
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hui Wu
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lu Kuang
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shi-Jian Fu
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
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25
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Kimbell HS, Morrell LJ. Turbidity weakens selection for assortment in body size in groups. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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26
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Farine DR, Montiglio PO, Spiegel O. From Individuals to Groups and Back: The Evolutionary Implications of Group Phenotypic Composition. Trends Ecol Evol 2015; 30:609-621. [PMID: 26411618 PMCID: PMC4594155 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2015.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Revised: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing interest in understanding the processes that maintain phenotypic variation in groups, populations, or communities. Recent studies have investigated how the phenotypic composition of groups or aggregations (e.g., its average phenotype or phenotypic variance) affects ecological and social processes, and how multi-level selection can drive phenotypic covariance among interacting individuals. However, we argue that these questions are rarely studied together. We present a unified framework to address this gap, and discuss how group phenotypic composition (GPC) can impact on processes ranging from individual fitness to population demography. By emphasising the breadth of topics affected, we hope to motivate more integrated empirical studies of the ecological and evolutionary implications of GPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien R Farine
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá, República de Panamá; Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | | | - Orr Spiegel
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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