1
|
Waller MJ, Humphries NE, Womersley FC, Loveridge A, Jeffries AL, Watanabe Y, Payne N, Semmens J, Queiroz N, Southall EJ, Sims DW. The vulnerability of sharks, skates, and rays to ocean deoxygenation: Physiological mechanisms, behavioral responses, and ecological impacts. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 105:482-511. [PMID: 38852616 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Levels of dissolved oxygen in open ocean and coastal waters are decreasing (ocean deoxygenation), with poorly understood effects on marine megafauna. All of the more than 1000 species of elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, and rays) are obligate water breathers, with a variety of life-history strategies and oxygen requirements. This review demonstrates that although many elasmobranchs typically avoid hypoxic water, they also appear capable of withstanding mild to moderate hypoxia with changes in activity, ventilatory responses, alterations to circulatory and hematological parameters, and morphological alterations to gill structures. However, such strategies may be insufficient to withstand severe, progressive, or prolonged hypoxia or anoxia where anaerobic metabolic pathways may be used for limited periods. As water temperatures increase with climate warming, ectothermic elasmobranchs will exhibit elevated metabolic rates and are likely to be less able to tolerate the effects of even mild hypoxia associated with deoxygenation. As a result, sustained hypoxic conditions in warmer coastal or surface-pelagic waters are likely to lead to shifts in elasmobranch distributions. Mass mortalities of elasmobranchs linked directly to deoxygenation have only rarely been observed but are likely underreported. One key concern is how reductions in habitat volume as a result of expanding hypoxia resulting from deoxygenation will influence interactions between elasmobranchs and industrial fisheries. Catch per unit of effort of threatened pelagic sharks by longline fisheries, for instance, has been shown to be higher above oxygen minimum zones compared to adjacent, normoxic regions, and attributed to vertical habitat compression of sharks overlapping with increased fishing effort. How a compound stressor such as marine heatwaves alters vulnerability to deoxygenation remains an open question. With over a third of elasmobranch species listed as endangered, a priority for conservation and management now lies in understanding and mitigating ocean deoxygenation effects in addition to population declines already occurring from overfishing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matt J Waller
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Plymouth, UK
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | | | | | | | - Amy L Jeffries
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Plymouth, UK
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Yuuki Watanabe
- Research Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Nicholas Payne
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jayson Semmens
- Institue for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Nuno Queiroz
- CIBIO/InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS, Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | | | - David W Sims
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Plymouth, UK
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Reeve C, Smith KA, Morin A, Bzonek PA, Cooke SJ, Brownscombe JW. Using heart rate and acceleration biologgers to estimate winter activity costs in free-swimming largemouth bass. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2024:111708. [PMID: 39059617 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.111708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Winter is a critical period for largemouth bass (Micropterus nigricans) with winter severity and duration limiting their population growth at northern latitudes. Unfortunately, we have an incomplete understanding of their winter behaviour and energy use in the wild. More winter-focused research is needed to better understand their annual energy budget, improve bioenergetics models, and establish baselines to assess the impacts of climate warming; however, winter research is challenging due to ice cover. Implantable tags show promise for winter-focused research as they can be deployed prior to ice formation. Here, using swim tunnel respirometry, we calibrated heart rate and acceleration biologgers to enable estimations of metabolic rate (ṀO2) and swimming speed in free-swimming largemouth bass across a range of winter-relevant temperatures. In addition, we assessed their aerobic and swim performance. Calculated group thermal sensitivities of most performance metrics indicated the passive physicochemical effects of temperature, suggesting little compensation in the cold; however, resting metabolic rate and critical swimming speed showed partial compensation. We found strong relationships between acceleration and swimming speed, as well as between ṀO2 and heart rate, acceleration, or swimming speed. Jackknife validations indicated that these modeled relationships accurately estimate swimming speed and ṀO2 from biologger recordings. However, there were relatively few reliable heart rate recordings to model the ṀO2 relationship. Recordings of heart rate were high-quality during holding but dropped during experimentation, potentially due to interference from aerobic muscles during swimming. The models informed by acceleration or swimming speed appear to be best suited for field applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Connor Reeve
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
| | - Kurtis A Smith
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Andre Morin
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Paul A Bzonek
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada; Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Jacob W Brownscombe
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada; Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Howell BE, Navarroli G, DePasquale SW, Cooke SJ, Hasler CT. Sex and season influence behaviour and physiology of lake trout following angling. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae041. [PMID: 38974501 PMCID: PMC11224997 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Catch-and-release angling exposes fish to challenges that may result in sub-lethal effects or mortality. Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) undergo high rates of release because of size-based harvest regulations or voluntary angler behaviour. Here, we examine short-term impairment in lake trout angled during the summer (n = 74) and fall spawning period (n = 33) to inform best practices for angling. Immediately following capture or 0.5 h post-capture, fish underwent reflex and barotrauma assessments, and a small blood sample was collected. Fish were also fitted with an externally mounted biologger equipped with depth, temperature and tri-axial acceleration sensors, that was tethered to allow retrieval of the logger after 14 min. In the summer, reflex impairment and barotrauma at 0 and 0.5 h were significantly correlated. Loss of orientation and bloating were the most observed indicators. Larger fish and those captured at increased depth had higher barotrauma scores, while prolonged fight times decreased the barotrauma score regardless of sampling time. Plasma cortisol, lactate and glucose increased 0.5 h after capture, and extracellular and intracellular pH decreased, all signs that angling was inducing a metabolic response. However, no relationships were found between blood indices and mortality (18.9%). The time required to reach maximum depth after release was longer for fish with increased air exposure but shorter for those with longer fight times. During the fall, fish displayed no mortality or reflex impairment. Anal prolapse was the most observed indicator of barotrauma but only observed in females. Blood indices were most altered 0.5 h after capture, with increased cortisol values for fish that were female, particularly large or captured at deeper depth. Locomotor activity was highest for males and increased with depth. Together, our findings suggest that the effects of catch-and-release angling may be dependent on several factors, including sex, season and angling depth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley E Howell
- Fish Biology and Conservation Laboratory, Department of Biology, The University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9, Canada
| | - Giulio Navarroli
- Fish Biology and Conservation Laboratory, Department of Biology, The University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9, Canada
| | - Simon W DePasquale
- Fish Biology and Conservation Laboratory, Department of Biology, The University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9, Canada
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Caleb T Hasler
- Fish Biology and Conservation Laboratory, Department of Biology, The University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Doekes HP, Petie R, de Jong R, Adriaens I, Wisselink HJ, Stockhofe-Zurwieden N. Added Value of Sensor-Based Behavioural Monitoring in an Infectious Disease Study with Sheep Infected with Toxoplasma gondii. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1908. [PMID: 38998020 PMCID: PMC11240357 DOI: 10.3390/ani14131908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Sensor technologies are increasingly used to monitor laboratory animal behaviour. The aim of this study was to investigate the added value of using accelerometers and video to monitor the activity and drinking behaviour of three rams from 5 days before to 22 days after inoculation with Toxoplasma gondii. We computed the activity from accelerometer data as the vectorial dynamic body acceleration (VDBA). In addition, we assessed individual drinking behaviour from video, using frame differencing above the drinker to identify drinking bouts, and Aruco markers for individual identification. Four days after inoculation, rams developed fever and activity decreased. The daytime VDBA from days 4 to 10 was 60-80% of that before inoculation. Animal caretakers scored rams as lethargic on days 5 and 6 and, for one ram, also on the morning of day 7. Video analysis showed that each ram decreased its number of visits to the drinker, as well as its time spent at the drinker, by up to 50%. The fever and corresponding sickness behaviours lasted until day 10. Overall, while we recognize the limited conclusiveness due to the small number of animals, the sensor technologies provided continuous, individual, detailed, and objective data and offered additional insights as compared to routine observations. We recommend the wider implementation of such technologies in animal disease trials to refine experiments and guarantee the quality of experimental results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Harmen P. Doekes
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University & Research, 8221 RA Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald Petie
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University & Research, 8221 RA Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Rineke de Jong
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University & Research, 8221 RA Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Ines Adriaens
- Research Group BioVism, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Livestock Technology Group, Department of Biosystems, Division of Animal and Human Health Engineering, Kleinhoefstraat 4, 2440 Geel, Belgium
| | - Henk J. Wisselink
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University & Research, 8221 RA Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Goloni C, Pacheco LG, Luis LW, Theodoro SS, Scarpim LB, Dalpubel D, Rosenburg MG, Jeusette IC, Torre C, Pereira GT, Carciofi AC. High starch intake favours body weight control in neutered and spayed cats living in homes fed ad libitum. Br J Nutr 2024; 131:1786-1802. [PMID: 38291971 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114524000333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Different starch-to-protein ratios were compared among neutered and spayed domiciled cats. Male and female obese and non-obese cats were fed kibble diets ad libitum for 4 months high in starch (HS (38 % crude protein (CP)): starch 32 %, protein 38 %; DM basis) or high in protein (HP (55 % CP): starch 19 %, protein 55 %) but similar in energy and fat in a crossover design. Physical activity was evaluated using an accelerometer, and body composition (BC), energy expenditure (EE) and water turnover (WT) using the doubly labelled water method. Results were compared in a 2 diet × 2 sex × 2 body condition factorial arrangement. Cats fed the HS (38 % CP) diet maintained a constant body weight, but lean mass (LM) tended to be reduced in female obese but to be increased in male non-obese (P < 0·08) and increased in female non-obese cats (P = 0·01). The HP (55 % CP) diet induced an increase in cat body weight and LM (P < 0·05) without altering BC proportion. EE tended to be higher in males (351 (se 8) kJ/kg0·67/d) than females (330 (se 8) kJ/kg0·67/d; P = 0·06), was unaffected by diet or BC, decreased as age increased (R 2 0·44; P < 0·01) and increased as physical activity increased (R 2 0·58; P < 0·01). WT was higher for the HP (55 % CP) diet (P < 0·01) and increased with EE (R 2 0·65; P < 0·01). The HS (38 % CP) diet favoured body weight control during 4 months of ad libitum feeding. Caution is necessary to balance protein in diets of female obese cats over 5 years, as they may have low energy and food intake, with LM loss.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camila Goloni
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Letícia G Pacheco
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Letícia W Luis
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Stephanie S Theodoro
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Lucas B Scarpim
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Daniela Dalpubel
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Meire Gallo Rosenburg
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil
| | | | | | - Gener T Pereira
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Aulus C Carciofi
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
de Groot VA, Trueman C, Bates AE. Incorporating otolith-isotope inferred field metabolic rate into conservation strategies. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae013. [PMID: 38666227 PMCID: PMC11044438 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Fluctuating ocean conditions are rearranging whole networks of marine communities-from individual-level physiological thresholds to ecosystem function. Physiological studies support predictions from individual-level responses (biochemical, cellular, tissue, respiratory potential) based on laboratory experiments. The otolith-isotope method of recovering field metabolic rate has recently filled a gap for the bony fishes, linking otolith stable isotope composition to in situ oxygen consumption and experienced temperature estimates. Here, we review the otolith-isotope method focusing on the biochemical and physiological processes that yield estimates of field metabolic rate. We identify a multidisciplinary pathway in the application of this method, providing concrete research goals (field, modeling) aimed at linking individual-level physiological data to higher levels of biological organization. We hope that this review will provide researchers with a transdisciplinary 'roadmap', guiding the use of the otolith-isotope method to bridge the gap between individual-level physiology, observational field studies, and modeling efforts, while ensuring that in situ data is central in marine policy-making aimed at mitigating climatic and anthropogenic threats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valesca A de Groot
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada
- University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BCV8 P5C2, Canada
| | - Clive Trueman
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton SO1 43ZH, UK
| | - Amanda E Bates
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada
- University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BCV8 P5C2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Aikens EO, Nourani E, Fiedler W, Wikelski M, Flack A. Learning shapes the development of migratory behavior. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2306389121. [PMID: 38437530 PMCID: PMC10962998 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2306389121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
How animals refine migratory behavior over their lifetime (i.e., the ontogeny of migration) is an enduring question with important implications for predicting the adaptive capacity of migrants in a changing world. Yet, our inability to monitor the movements of individuals from early life onward has limited our understanding of the ontogeny of migration. The exploration-refinement hypothesis posits that learning shapes the ontogeny of migration in long-lived species, resulting in greater exploratory behavior early in life followed by more rapid and direct movement during later life. We test the exploration-refinement hypothesis by examining how white storks (Ciconia ciconia) balance energy, time, and information as they develop and refine migratory behavior during the first years of life. Here, we show that young birds reduce energy expenditure during flight while also increasing information gain by exploring new places during migration. As the birds age and gain more experience, older individuals stop exploring new places and instead move more quickly and directly, resulting in greater energy expenditure during migratory flight. During spring migration, individuals innovated novel shortcuts during the transition from early life into adulthood, suggesting a reliance on spatial memory acquired through learning. These incremental refinements in migratory behavior provide support for the importance of individual learning within a lifetime in the ontogeny of long-distance migration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen O. Aikens
- School of Computing, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY82071
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY82072
- Collective Migration Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell78315, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz78468, Germany
| | - Elham Nourani
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell78315, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz78457, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Fiedler
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell78315, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz78457, Germany
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell78315, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz78457, Germany
| | - Andrea Flack
- Collective Migration Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell78315, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz78468, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz78457, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
John JS, Christen DR, Flammer KL, Kendall TL, Nazario EC, Richter BP, Gill V, Williams TM. Conservation energetics of beluga whales: using resting and swimming metabolism to understand threats to an endangered population. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246899. [PMID: 38483264 PMCID: PMC11070638 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The balance between energetic costs and acquisition in free-ranging species is essential for survival, and provides important insights regarding the physiological impact of anthropogenic disturbances on wild animals. For marine mammals such as beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), the first step in modeling this bioenergetic balance requires an examination of resting and active metabolic demands. Here, we used open-flow respirometry to measure oxygen consumption during surface rest and submerged swimming by trained beluga whales, and compared these measurements with those of a commonly studied odontocete, the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Both resting metabolic rate (3012±126.0 kJ h-1) and total cost of transport (1.4±0.1 J kg-1 m-1) of beluga whales were consistent with predicted values for moderately sized marine mammals in temperate to cold-water environments, including dolphins measured in the present study. By coupling the rate of oxygen consumption during submerged swimming with locomotor metrics from animal-borne accelerometer tags, we developed predictive relationships for assessing energetic costs from swim speed, stroke rate and partial dynamic acceleration. Combining these energetic data with calculated aerobic dive limits for beluga whales (8.8 min), we found that high-speed responses to disturbance markedly reduce the whale's capacity for prolonged submergence, pushing the cetaceans to costly anaerobic performances that require prolonged recovery periods. Together, these species-specific energetic measurements for beluga whales provide two important metrics, gait-related locomotor costs and aerobic capacity limits, for identifying relative levels of physiological vulnerability to anthropogenic disturbances that have become increasingly pervasive in their Arctic habitats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason S. John
- University of California, Santa Cruz, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | | | | | - Traci L. Kendall
- University of California, Santa Cruz, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Emily C. Nazario
- University of California, Santa Cruz, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Beau P. Richter
- University of California, Santa Cruz, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Verena Gill
- NOAA Fisheries, 222 W. 7th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA
| | - Terrie M. Williams
- University of California, Santa Cruz, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Simmler M, Brouwers SP. triact package for R: analyzing the lying behavior of cows from accelerometer data. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17036. [PMID: 38436021 PMCID: PMC10908268 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Accelerometers are sensors proven to be useful to analyze the lying behavior of cows. For reasons of algorithm transparency and control, researchers often prefer to use their own data analysis scripts rather than proprietary software. We developed the triact R package that assists animal scientists in analyzing the lying behavior of cows from raw data recorded with a triaxial accelerometer (manufacturer agnostic) attached to a hind leg. In a user-friendly workflow, triact allows the determination of common measures for lying behavior including total lying duration, the number of lying bouts, and the mean duration of lying bouts. Further capabilities are the description of lying laterality and the calculation of proxies for the level of physical activity of the cow. In this publication we describe the functionality of triact and the rationales behind the implemented algorithms. The triact R package is developed as an open-source project and freely available via the CRAN repository.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Stijn P. Brouwers
- Centre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs, Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Sutton GJ, Angel LP, Speakman JR, Arnould JPY. Determining energy expenditure in a large seabird using accelerometry. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb246922. [PMID: 37947172 PMCID: PMC10714144 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The trade off between energy gained and expended is the foundation of understanding how, why and when animals perform any activity. Based on the concept that animal movements have an energetic cost, accelerometry is increasingly being used to estimate energy expenditure. However, validation of accelerometry as an accurate proxy for field metabolic rate in free-ranging species is limited. In the present study, Australasian gannets (Morus serrator) from the Pope's Eye colony (38°16'42″S 144°41'48″E), south-eastern Australia, were equipped with GPS and tri-axial accelerometers and dosed with doubly labelled water (DLW) to measure energy expenditure during normal behaviour for 3-5 days. The correlation between daily energy expenditure from the DLW and vectorial dynamic body acceleration (VeDBA) was high for both a simple correlation and activity-specific approaches (R2=0.75 and 0.80, respectively). Varying degrees of success were observed for estimating at-sea metabolic rate from accelerometry when removing time on land using published energy expenditure constants (R2=0.02) or activity-specific approaches (R2=0.42). The predictive capacity of energy expenditure models for total and at-sea periods was improved by the addition of total distance travelled and proportion of the sampling period spent at sea during the night, respectively (R2=0.61-0.82). These results indicate that accelerometry can be used to estimate daily energy expenditure in free-ranging gannets and its accuracy may depend on the inclusion of movement parameters not detected by accelerometry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grace J. Sutton
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
- Department of Environment & Genetics, and Research Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Lauren P. Angel
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - John R. Speakman
- Institute of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
- Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institutes of Advance Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - John P. Y. Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Riley KJ, Warren K, Armstrong N, Yeap L, Dawson R, Mawson PR, Saunders DA, Cooper CE, Shephard JM. Accelerometry reveals limits to use of an energy-saving anthropogenic food source by a threatened species: A case of Carnaby's cockatoos ( Zanda latirostris) and canola. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10598. [PMID: 37818246 PMCID: PMC10560869 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of anthropogenic resources is becoming increasingly common as species adapt to human-induced environmental changes, but their use can expose species to new risks. Understanding how animals exploit these resources is important for guiding conservation management, particularly where species are threatened. The introduction of canola cropping to breeding areas of endangered Carnaby's cockatoo (Zanda latirostris) has been attributed to an increase in the birds' reproductive success; however, the seed may be protein-limiting for nestling growth and its use by cockatoos has been implicated in the emergence of a new disease. We used high-resolution accelerometer-capable GPS tags to track eight birds. Accelerometer data were used to calculate overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA), a proxy for energy expenditure, and to identify and quantify canola and native vegetation foraging behaviours. We used linear mixed models to determine which factors affected patterns of resource use and to determine whether, and to what extent, canola use was associated with reduced energetic and movement costs. We then compared the energetic content of canola seed and native food sources to inform patterns of behaviour and habitat use revealed by our tracking data. Use of canola was associated with reduced movement costs and energy expenditure. However, there was an apparent reluctance to increase foraging on canola above a threshold of time, even when conditions reduced time available to utilise native food sources. While anthropogenic resources may appear to improve population trends in some cases, careful investigations of patterns of resource use are necessary to guide appropriate conservation management efforts. For Carnaby's cockatoos, conservation efforts should focus on retention, protection and expansion of native food sources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen J. Riley
- Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Harry Butler InstituteMurdoch UniversityMurdochWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Kristin Warren
- Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Harry Butler InstituteMurdoch UniversityMurdochWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Conservation Medicine Program, School of Veterinary MedicineMurdoch UniversityMurdochWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Nicola Armstrong
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler InstituteMurdoch UniversityMurdochWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Department of Mathematics and StatisticsCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Lian Yeap
- Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Harry Butler InstituteMurdoch UniversityMurdochWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Rick Dawson
- Independent ResearcherWaikikiWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Peter R. Mawson
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsSouth PerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Denis A. Saunders
- Independent ResearcherWeetangeraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Christine E. Cooper
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversityMaquarie ParkNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Jill M. Shephard
- Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Harry Butler InstituteMurdoch UniversityMurdochWestern AustraliaAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bisconti R, Carere C, Costantini D, Liparoto A, Chiocchio A, Canestrelli D. Evolution of personality and locomotory performance traits during a late Pleistocene island colonization in a tree frog. Curr Zool 2023; 69:631-641. [PMID: 37637312 PMCID: PMC10449429 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent empirical and theoretical studies suggest that personality and locomotory performance traits linked to dispersal abilities are crucial components of the dispersal syndromes, and that they can evolve during range expansions and colonization processes. Island colonization is one of the best characterized processes in dispersal biogeography, and its implication in the evolution of phenotypic traits has been investigated over a wide range of temporal scales. However, the effect of island colonization on personality and performance traits of natural populations, and how these traits could drive island colonization, has been little explored. Noteworthy, no studies have addressed these processes in the context of late Pleistocene range expansions. Here, we investigated the contribution of island colonization triggered by postglacial range expansions to intraspecific variation in personality and locomotory performance traits. We compared boldness, exploration, jumping performance, and stickiness abilities in populations from 3 equidistant areas of the Tyrrhenian tree frog Hyla sarda, 2 from the main island (Corsica Island), and 1 from the recently colonized island of Elba. Individuals from Elba were significantly bolder than individuals from Corsica, as they emerged sooner from a shelter (P = 0.028), while individuals from Corsica showed markedly higher jumping and stickiness performance (both P < 0.001), resulting as more performing than those of Elba. We discuss these results in the context of the major microevolutionary processes at play during range expansion, including selection, spatial sorting, founder effects, and their possible interaction with local adaptation processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Bisconti
- Department of Ecological and Biological Science, Tuscia University, Largo dell’Università s.n.c., 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Claudio Carere
- Department of Ecological and Biological Science, Tuscia University, Largo dell’Università s.n.c., 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - David Costantini
- Unité Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation (PhyMA), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP32, 57 rue Cuvier 75005 Paris, France
| | - Anita Liparoto
- Department of Ecological and Biological Science, Tuscia University, Largo dell’Università s.n.c., 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Andrea Chiocchio
- Department of Ecological and Biological Science, Tuscia University, Largo dell’Università s.n.c., 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Daniele Canestrelli
- Department of Ecological and Biological Science, Tuscia University, Largo dell’Università s.n.c., 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Bennison A, Clark BL, Votier SC, Quinn JL, Darby J, Jessopp M. Handedness and individual roll-angle specialism when plunge diving in the northern gannet. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230287. [PMID: 37670611 PMCID: PMC10480694 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Many vertebrates show lateralized behaviour, or handedness, where an individual preferentially uses one side of the body more than the other. This is generally thought to be caused by brain lateralization and allows functional specializations such as sight, locomotion, and decision-making among other things. We deployed accelerometers on 51 northern gannets, Morus bassanus, to test for behavioural lateralization during plunge dives. When plunge diving, gannets 'roll' to one side, and standard indices indicated that 51% of individuals were left-sided, 43% right-sided, and 6% 'non-lateralized'. Lateralization indices provide no measure of error and do not account for environmental covariance, so we conducted two repeatability analyses on individuals' dive roll direction and angle. Dive side lateralization was highly repeatable among individuals over time at the population level (R = 0.878, p < 0.001). Furthermore, roll angle was also highly repeatable in individuals (R = 0.751, p < 0.001) even after controlling for lateralized state. Gannets show individual specializations in two different parts of the plunge diving process when attempting to catch prey. This is the first demonstration of lateralization during prey capture in a foraging seabird. It is also one of the few demonstrations of behavioural lateralization in a mixed model approach, providing a structure for further exploring behavioural lateralization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - John L. Quinn
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), University College Cork, Cork T23 N73K, Ireland
| | - Jamie Darby
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), University College Cork, Cork T23 N73K, Ireland
- MaREI, Centre for Marine & Renewable Energy, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork T23 N73K, Ireland
| | - Mark Jessopp
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), University College Cork, Cork T23 N73K, Ireland
- MaREI, Centre for Marine & Renewable Energy, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork T23 N73K, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lennox RJ, Eldøy SH, Dahlmo LS, Matley JK, Vollset KW. Acoustic accelerometer transmitters and their growing relevance to aquatic science. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:45. [PMID: 37501158 PMCID: PMC10375738 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00403-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
There has recently been great interest in the use of accelerometers onboard electronic transmitters to characterise various aspects of the ecology of wild animals. We review use cases and outline how these tools can provide opportunities for studying activity and survival, exercise physiology of wild animals, the response to stressors, energy landscapes and conservation planning tools, and the means with which to identify behaviours remotely from transmitted data. Accelerometer transmitters typically send data summaries to receivers at fixed intervals after filtering out static acceleration and calculating root-mean square error or overall dynamic body action of 2- or 3-axis acceleration values (often at 5-12.5 Hz) from dynamic acceleration onboard the tag. Despite the popularity of these transmitters among aquatic ecologists, we note that there is wide variation in the sampling frequencies and windows used among studies that will potentially affect the ability to make comparisons in the future. Accelerometer transmitters will likely become increasingly popular tools for studying finer scale details about cryptic species that are difficult to recapture and hence not suitable for studies using data loggers. We anticipate that there will continue to be opportunities to adopt methods used for analysing data from loggers to datasets generated from acceleration transmitters, to generate new knowledge about the ecology of aquatic animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Lennox
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Høgskoleringen 9, 7034, Norway.
- NORCE Norwegian Research Centre Laboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Nygaardsgaten 112, 5008, Bergen, Norway.
- Ocean Tracking Network, Dalhousie University, 1335 Oxford St, B3H 3Z1, Halifax, Canada.
| | - Sindre H Eldøy
- NTNU Vitenskapsmuseet, Erling Skakkes gate 47B, 7012, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lotte S Dahlmo
- NORCE Norwegian Research Centre Laboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Nygaardsgaten 112, 5008, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jordan K Matley
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Knut Wiik Vollset
- NORCE Norwegian Research Centre Laboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Nygaardsgaten 112, 5008, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Chakravarty P, Cozzi G, Scantlebury DM, Ozgul A, Aminian K. Combining accelerometry with allometry for estimating daily energy expenditure in joules when in-lab calibration is unavailable. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:29. [PMID: 37254220 PMCID: PMC10228015 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00395-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND All behaviour requires energy, and measuring energy expenditure in standard units (joules) is key to linking behaviour to ecological processes. Animal-borne accelerometers are commonly used to infer proxies of energy expenditure, termed 'dynamic body acceleration' (DBA). However, converting acceleration proxies (m/s2) to standard units (watts) involves costly in-lab respirometry measurements, and there is a lack of viable substitutes for empirical calibration relationships when these are unavailable. METHODS We used past allometric work quantifying energy expenditure during resting and locomotion as a function of body mass to calibrate DBA. We used the resulting 'power calibration equation' to estimate daily energy expenditure (DEE) using two models: (1) locomotion data-based linear calibration applied to the waking period, and Kleiber's law applied to the sleeping period (ACTIWAKE), and (2) locomotion and resting data-based linear calibration applied to the 24-h period (ACTIREST24). Since both models require locomotion speed information, we developed an algorithm to estimate speed from accelerometer, gyroscope, and behavioural annotation data. We applied these methods to estimate DEE in free-ranging meerkats (Suricata suricatta), and compared model estimates with published DEE measurements made using doubly labelled water (DLW) on the same meerkat population. RESULTS ACTIWAKE's DEE estimates did not differ significantly from DLW (t(19) = - 1.25; P = 0.22), while ACTIREST24's estimates did (t(19) = - 2.38; P = 0.028). Both models underestimated DEE compared to DLW: ACTIWAKE by 14% and ACTIREST by 26%. The inter-individual spread in model estimates of DEE (s.d. 1-2% of mean) was lower than that in DLW (s.d. 33% of mean). CONCLUSIONS We found that linear locomotion-based calibration applied to the waking period, and a 'flat' resting metabolic rate applied to the sleeping period can provide realistic joule estimates of DEE in terrestrial mammals. The underestimation and lower spread in model estimates compared to DLW likely arise because the accelerometer only captures movement-related energy expenditure, whereas DLW is an integrated measure. Our study offers new tools to incorporate body mass (through allometry), and changes in behavioural time budgets and intra-behaviour changes in intensity (through DBA) in acceleration-based field assessments of daily energy expenditure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pritish Chakravarty
- Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Constance, Germany.
| | - Gabriele Cozzi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, 8467, South Africa
| | | | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, 8467, South Africa
| | - Kamiar Aminian
- Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Cliffe RN, Haupt RJ, Kennedy S, Felton C, Williams HJ, Avey-Arroyo J, Wilson R. The behaviour and activity budgets of two sympatric sloths; Bradypus variegatus and Choloepus hoffmanni. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15430. [PMID: 37273542 PMCID: PMC10234273 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It is usually beneficial for species to restrict activity to a particular phase of the 24-hour cycle as this enables the development of morphological and behavioural adaptations to enhance survival under specific biotic and abiotic conditions. Sloth activity patterns are thought to be strongly related to the environmental conditions due to the metabolic consequences of having a low and highly variable core body temperature. Understanding the drivers of sloth activity and their ability to withstand environmental fluctuations is of growing importance for the development of effective conservation measures, particularly when we consider the vulnerability of tropical ecosystems to climate change and the escalating impacts of anthropogenic activities in South and Central America. Unfortunately, the cryptic nature of sloths makes long term observational research difficult and so there is very little existing literature examining the behavioural ecology of wild sloths. Here, we used micro data loggers to continuously record, for the first time, the behaviour of both Bradypus and Choloepus sloths over periods of days to weeks. We investigate how fluctuations in the environmental conditions affect the activity of sloths inhabiting a lowland rainforest on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and examined how this might relate to their low power lifestyle. Both Bradypus and Choloepus sloths were found to be cathemeral in their activity, with high levels of between-individual and within-individual variation in the amounts of time spent active, and in the temporal distribution of activity over the 24-hour cycle. Daily temperature did not affect activity, although Bradypus sloths were found to show increased nocturnal activity on colder nights, and on nights following colder days. Our results demonstrate a distinct lack of synchronicity within the same population, and we suggest that this pattern provides sloths with the flexibility to exploit favourable environmental conditions whilst reducing the threat of predation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N. Cliffe
- The Sloth Conservation Foundation, Hayfield, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
- Swansea Lab for Animal Movement, Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- The Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica, Limon, Costa Rica
| | - Ryan J. Haupt
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States of America
| | - Sarah Kennedy
- The Sloth Conservation Foundation, Hayfield, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
| | - Cerys Felton
- Swansea Lab for Animal Movement, Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah J. Williams
- Swansea Lab for Animal Movement, Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- Migration Department, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | | | - Rory Wilson
- Swansea Lab for Animal Movement, Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Sur M, Hall JC, Brandt J, Astell M, Poessel SA, Katzner TE. Supervised versus unsupervised approaches to classification of accelerometry data. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10035. [PMID: 37206689 PMCID: PMC10191777 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10035] [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: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Sophisticated animal-borne sensor systems are increasingly providing novel insight into how animals behave and move. Despite their widespread use in ecology, the diversity and expanding quality and quantity of data they produce have created a need for robust analytical methods for biological interpretation. Machine learning tools are often used to meet this need. However, their relative effectiveness is not well known and, in the case of unsupervised tools, given that they do not use validation data, their accuracy can be difficult to assess. We evaluated the effectiveness of supervised (n = 6), semi-supervised (n = 1), and unsupervised (n = 2) approaches to analyzing accelerometry data collected from critically endangered California condors (Gymnogyps californianus). Unsupervised K-means and EM (expectation-maximization) clustering approaches performed poorly, with adequate classification accuracies of <0.8 but very low values for kappa statistics (range: -0.02 to 0.06). The semi-supervised nearest mean classifier was moderately effective at classification, with an overall classification accuracy of 0.61 but effective classification only of two of the four behavioral classes. Supervised random forest (RF) and k-nearest neighbor (kNN) machine learning models were most effective at classification across all behavior types, with overall accuracies >0.81. Kappa statistics were also highest for RF and kNN, in most cases substantially greater than for other modeling approaches. Unsupervised modeling, which is commonly used for the classification of a priori-defined behaviors in telemetry data, can provide useful information but likely is instead better suited to post hoc definition of generalized behavioral states. This work also shows the potential for substantial variation in classification accuracy among different machine learning approaches and among different metrics of accuracy. As such, when analyzing biotelemetry data, best practices appear to call for the evaluation of several machine learning techniques and several measures of accuracy for each dataset under consideration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maitreyi Sur
- Conservation Science Global, Inc.West Cape MayNew JerseyUSA
- Present address:
Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES)Radboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Jonathan C. Hall
- Department of BiologyEastern Michigan UniversityYpsilantiMichiganUSA
| | - Joseph Brandt
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge ComplexVenturaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Molly Astell
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge ComplexVenturaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of BiologyBoise State UniversityBoiseIdahoUSA
| | - Sharon A. Poessel
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science CenterBoiseIdahoUSA
| | - Todd E. Katzner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science CenterBoiseIdahoUSA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Hewitt DE, Johnson DD, Suthers IM, Taylor MD. Crabs ride the tide: incoming tides promote foraging of Giant Mud Crab (Scylla serrata). MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:21. [PMID: 37069648 PMCID: PMC10108527 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00384-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effective fisheries management of mobile species relies on robust knowledge of animal behaviour and habitat-use. Indices of behaviour can be useful for interpreting catch-per-unit-effort data which acts as a proxy for relative abundance. Information about habitat-use can inform stocking release strategies or the design of marine protected areas. The Giant Mud Crab (Scylla serrata; Family: Portunidae) is a swimming estuarine crab that supports significant fisheries harvest throughout the Indo-West Pacific, but little is known about the fine-scale movement and behaviour of this species. METHODS We tagged 18 adult Giant Mud Crab with accelerometer-equipped acoustic tags to track their fine-scale movement using a hyperbolic positioning system, alongside high temporal resolution environmental data (e.g., water temperature), in a temperate south-east Australian estuary. A hidden Markov model was used to classify movement (i.e., step length, turning angle) and acceleration data into discrete behaviours, while also considering the possibility of individual variation in behavioural dynamics. We then investigated the influence of environmental covariates on these behaviours based on previously published observations. RESULTS We fitted a model with two well-distinguished behavioural states describing periods of inactivity and foraging, and found no evidence of individual variation in behavioural dynamics. Inactive periods were most common (79% of time), and foraging was most likely during low, incoming tides; while inactivity was more likely as the high tide receded. Model selection removed time (hour) of day and water temperature (°C) as covariates, suggesting that they do not influence Giant Mud Crab behavioural dynamics at the temporal scale investigated. CONCLUSIONS Our study is the first to quantitatively link fine-scale movement and behaviour of Giant Mud Crab to environmental variation. Our results suggest Giant Mud Crab are a predominantly sessile species, and support their status as an opportunistic scavenger. We demonstrate a relationship between the tidal cycle and foraging that is likely to minimize predation risk while maximizing energetic efficiency. These results may explain why tidal covariates influence catch rates in swimming crabs, and provide a foundation for standardisation and interpretation of catch-per-unit-effort data-a commonly used metric in fisheries science.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Hewitt
- Fisheries and Marine Environmental Research Lab, Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, 2052, Australia.
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, NSW, Locked Bag 1, Nelson Bay, 2315, Australia.
| | - Daniel D Johnson
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, NSW, Locked Bag 1, Nelson Bay, 2315, Australia
| | - Iain M Suthers
- Fisheries and Marine Environmental Research Lab, Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, 2052, Australia
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, Australia
| | - Matthew D Taylor
- Fisheries and Marine Environmental Research Lab, Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, 2052, Australia
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, NSW, Locked Bag 1, Nelson Bay, 2315, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Kolešková V, Šálek ME, Brynychová K, Chajma P, Pešková L, Elhassan E, Petrusová Vozabulová E, Janatová V, Almuhery A, Sládeček M. Offspring thermal demands and parental brooding efficiency differ for precocial birds living in contrasting climates. Front Zool 2023; 20:12. [PMID: 37032338 PMCID: PMC10084700 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-023-00492-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chicks of precocial birds hatch well-developed and can search actively for food but their homeothermy develops gradually during growth. This makes them dependent on heat provided by parents ("brooding"), which is then traded off against other activities, mainly foraging. Although brooding has been documented in many precocial birds, little is known about the differences in the amount and efficiency of brooding care, brooding diel rhythmicity, and impact on the chick's growth, particularly between species living in different climatic conditions. RESULTS We used multisensory dataloggers to evaluate brooding patterns in two congeneric species inhabiting contrasting climate zones: temperate Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) and desert Red-wattled lapwing (Vanellus indicus). In accordance with our expectation, the adult desert lapwings brooded the chicks slightly less compared to the adult temperate lapwings. However, the desert lapwings brooded their chicks in higher ambient temperatures and less efficiently (i.e. they could not reach the same brooding temperature as the temperate lapwings), which are new and hitherto unknown brooding patterns in precocial birds. In both species, night brooding prevailed even during warm nights, suggesting a general brooding rule among birds. Although the high rates of brooding can reduce the time spent by foraging, we found no negative effect of the high brooding rate on the growth rate in either species. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that the chicks of species breeding in colder climates may reduce their thermal demands, while their parents may increase the efficiency of parental brooding care. More research is however needed to confirm this as a rule across species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Kolešková
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Miroslav E Šálek
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Brynychová
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Chajma
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Pešková
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Esmat Elhassan
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Natural Resources Conservation Section, Environment Department, Dubai Municipality, Abu Hail, Dubai, UAE
| | - Eva Petrusová Vozabulová
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Janatová
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Aisha Almuhery
- Natural Resources Conservation Section, Environment Department, Dubai Municipality, Abu Hail, Dubai, UAE
| | - Martin Sládeček
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Morgan A, Christensen C, Bracken AM, O'Riain MJ, King AJ, Fürtbauer I. Effects of accelerometry-derived physical activity energy expenditure on urinary C-peptide levels in a wild primate (Papio ursinus). Horm Behav 2023; 152:105355. [PMID: 37031555 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
Animals have finite energy reserves for growth, survival, and reproduction and must maintain a stable energy balance. Measuring energy balance in the wild, however, is beset with methodological challenges. Quantification of urinary C-peptide (uCP), a proxy for insulin secretion, has enabled researchers to non-invasively estimate energy balance, and positive relationships between uCP levels and energy intake have been documented in numerous non-human primates. Comparatively few studies show that, consistent with insulin physiology, energy expenditure also alters levels of uCP. The timescale and extent of this relationship, however, remains unclear given the reliance on crude measures of activity and inferred energy expenditure. Here, for the first time, we test for effects of accelerometer-derived Vectorial Dynamic Body Acceleration (VeDBA) - a continuous measure of physical activity energy expenditure - on urinary C-peptide (uCP) levels in n = 12 wild chacma baboons (Papio ursinus). Applying a model selection approach, we show that VeDBA summed over short timescales (30 min to 1 h) prior to urine collection was negatively associated with uCP levels. Using the acceleration-based time individuals spent 'non-stationary' (i.e. locomoting) prior to urine collection as a predictor - instead of summed VeDBA - revealed similar but less clear results. Overall, the negative relationship between VeDBA and uCP levels highlights the importance of quantifying physical activity energy expenditure when using uCP measures to estimate energy balance and has potential implications for the field of energetics accelerometry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angharad Morgan
- Biosciences, School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, SA2 8PP Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte Christensen
- Biosciences, School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, SA2 8PP Swansea, United Kingdom; Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anna M Bracken
- Biosciences, School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, SA2 8PP Swansea, United Kingdom; School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - M Justin O'Riain
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Andrew J King
- Biosciences, School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, SA2 8PP Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Ines Fürtbauer
- Biosciences, School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, SA2 8PP Swansea, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Watanabe YY, Papastamatiou YP. Biologging and Biotelemetry: Tools for Understanding the Lives and Environments of Marine Animals. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2023; 11:247-267. [PMID: 36790885 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-050322-073657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Addressing important questions in animal ecology, physiology, and environmental science often requires in situ information from wild animals. This difficulty is being overcome by biologging and biotelemetry, or the use of miniaturized animal-borne sensors. Although early studies recorded only simple parameters of animal movement, advanced devices and analytical methods can now provide rich information on individual and group behavior, internal states, and the surrounding environment of free-ranging animals, especially those in marine systems. We summarize the history of technologies used to track marine animals. We then identify seven major research categories of marine biologging and biotelemetry and explain significant achievements, as well as future opportunities. Big data approaches via international collaborations will be key to tackling global environmental issues (e.g., climate change impacts), and curiosity about the secret lives of marine animals will also remain a major driver of biologging and biotelemetry studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuuki Y Watanabe
- National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan; .,Department of Polar Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yannis P Papastamatiou
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Variable post-release mortality in common shark species captured in Texas shore-based recreational fisheries. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281441. [PMID: 36780489 PMCID: PMC9925081 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The practice of catch and release fishing is common among anglers but has been shown to cause unintended mortalities in some species. Current post-release mortality estimates used in coastal shark stock assessments are typically derived from boat-based shark fisheries, which differ from shore-based operations that expose sharks to potentially more stressful environmental and handling conditions. Recreational post-release mortality rates in shore-based fisheries must be quantified to improve stock assessment models and to create guidelines that protect species from overexploitation. Here, we partnered with experienced anglers acting as citizen scientists to deploy pop-up satellite archival transmitting tags (PSAT, n = 22) and acceleration data loggers (ADLs, n = 22). on four commonly caught sharks including the blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus, n = 11), bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas, n = 14), tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier, n = 6), and great hammerheads (Sphyrna mokarran, n = 2). Mortality occurred within minutes to hours post-release. If evidence of mortality occurred after normal diving behavior had been re-established for 10 days, then the mortality was considered natural and not related to the catch-and-release process. Post-release mortality estimates ranged from 0% for bull and tiger sharks to 45.5% for blacktip sharks. Of the two great hammerheads, one died within 30 minutes post-release while the other exhibited mortality characteristics 14 days after release. Moribund blacktip sharks experienced on average 3.4-4.9°C warmer water compared with survivors. Recovery periods were estimated for survivors of each species and were highly variable, differing based on duration of tag deployment. High variability in responses to capture and release between species demonstrates the need for species-specific assessments of post-release mortality in shore-based recreational fisheries.
Collapse
|
23
|
Booth CG, Guilpin M, Darias-O’Hara AK, Ransijn JM, Ryder M, Rosen D, Pirotta E, Smout S, McHuron EA, Nabe-Nielsen J, Costa DP. Estimating energetic intake for marine mammal bioenergetic models. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coac083. [PMID: 36756464 PMCID: PMC9900471 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coac083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bioenergetics is the study of how animals achieve energetic balance. Energetic balance results from the energetic expenditure of an individual and the energy they extract from their environment. Ingested energy depends on several extrinsic (e.g prey species, nutritional value and composition, prey density and availability) and intrinsic factors (e.g. foraging effort, success at catching prey, digestive processes and associated energy losses, and digestive capacity). While the focus in bioenergetic modelling is often on the energetic costs an animal incurs, the robust estimation of an individual's energy intake is equally critical for producing meaningful predictions. Here, we review the components and processes that affect energy intake from ingested gross energy to biologically useful net energy (NE). The current state of knowledge of each parameter is reviewed, shedding light on research gaps to advance this field. The review highlighted that the foraging behaviour of many marine mammals is relatively well studied via biologging tags, with estimates of success rate typically assumed for most species. However, actual prey capture success rates are often only assumed, although we note studies that provide approaches for its estimation using current techniques. A comprehensive collation of the nutritional content of marine mammal prey species revealed a robust foundation from which prey quality (comprising prey species, size and energy density) can be assessed, though data remain unavailable for many prey species. Empirical information on various energy losses following ingestion of prey was unbalanced among marine mammal species, with considerably more literature available for pinnipeds. An increased understanding and accurate estimate of each of the components that comprise a species NE intake are an integral part of bioenergetics. Such models provide a key tool to investigate the effects of disturbance on marine mammals at an individual and population level and to support effective conservation and management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cormac G Booth
- Corresponding author: SMRU Consulting, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, East Sands, St Andrews, KY16 8LB, UK.
| | | | - Aimee-Kate Darias-O’Hara
- SMRU Consulting, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, East Sands, St Andrews, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Janneke M Ransijn
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, East Sands, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Megan Ryder
- SMRU Consulting, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, East Sands, St Andrews, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Dave Rosen
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall,
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Enrico Pirotta
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling,
The Observatory, Buchanan
Gardens, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews,
KY16 9LZ, UK
| | - Sophie Smout
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, East Sands, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Elizabeth A McHuron
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, 3737 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Jacob Nabe-Nielsen
- Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, DK-4000
Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, 130
McAlister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Lee SCR, Hodgson DJ, Bearhop S. What has biotelemetry ever done for avian translocations? MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:57. [PMID: 36476396 PMCID: PMC9727958 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00359-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Species translocation is a popular approach in contemporary ecological restoration and rewilding. Improving the efficacy of conservation translocation programmes requires a combination of robust data from comparable populations, population viability modelling and post-release monitoring. Biotelemetry is becoming an ever more accessible means to collect some of the high-resolution information on the ecology and behaviour of founding populations that such evaluations require. Here, we review 81 published case studies to consider how this capability could increase the success of avian translocations. We found that 67 translocations favoured traditional radio telemetry, with surveillance focussing mostly on immediate post-release dispersal, survival and breeding attempts. Just 28 projects tracked founder individuals for longer than 1 year and no studies referenced pre-release sampling or planning using biotelemetry. While our review shows that tracking devices have been deployed extensively in translocation projects, its application has been mostly limited to short-term spatial and demographic monitoring. We conclude that biotelemetry is a powerful tool for harnessing a multitude of lifetime eco-behavioural data which can be used to build valuable predictive models and surveillance programmes, but this capability has yet to be fully realised by researchers in avian translocations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon C R Lee
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK.
- Natural England, Sterling House, Dix's Field, Exeter, UK.
| | - David J Hodgson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Macías-Torres P, Alerstam T, Andersson A, Bäckman J, Thorup K, Tøttrup AP, Sjöberg S. Activity patterns throughout the annual cycle in a long-distance migratory songbird, the red-backed shrike Lanius collurio. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:55. [PMID: 36457000 PMCID: PMC9716747 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00355-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-distance migratory birds undergo complex annual cycles during which they must adjust their behaviour according to the needs and conditions encountered throughout the year. Yet, variation in activity throughout the entire annual cycle has rarely been studied in wild migratory birds. METHODS We used multisensor data loggers to evaluate the patterns of activity throughout the complete annual cycle of a long-distance migratory bird, the red-backed shrike Lanius collurio. Accelerometer data was used to identify life-history stages and to estimate levels of activity during various phases of the annual cycle. In this study, we analysed the variation in daytime activity along the annual cycle and between migratory and non-migratory days. RESULTS The birds' daytime activity varied throughout the annual cycle while night-time activity was almost exclusively restricted to migratory flights. The highest daytime activity levels were observed during the breeding season, while it remained low during autumn migration and the winter period. Daytime activity differed between sexes during the breeding period, when the males showed the highest level in activity. During migratory periods, both sexes exhibited a higher daytime activity in spring compared to autumn migration, being particularly high in the final migratory leg towards the breeding ground. The birds showed a lower daytime activity on migratory days (days when a migratory flight took place during the succeeding night) than on non-migratory days during both migratory seasons. CONCLUSIONS Activity measured during daytime results from a combination of several behaviours, and a high daytime activity during spring migration and the breeding period is possibly reflecting particularly energy-demanding periods in the annual cycle of migratory birds. The use of multisensor data loggers to track annual activity provides us with a full annual perspective on variation in activity in long-distance migratory species, an essential approach for understanding possible critical life-history stages and migration ecology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Macías-Torres
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden.
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Thomas Alerstam
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden
| | - Arne Andersson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Bäckman
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden
| | - Kasper Thorup
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders P Tøttrup
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sissel Sjöberg
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Auge AC, Blouin-Demers G, Murray DL. Developing a classification system to assign activity states to two species of freshwater turtles. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277491. [PMID: 36449460 PMCID: PMC9710770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Research in ecology often requires robust assessment of animal behaviour, but classifying behavioural patterns in free-ranging animals and in natural environments can be especially challenging. New miniaturised bio-logging devices such as accelerometers are increasingly available to record animal behaviour remotely, and thereby address the gap in knowledge related to behaviour of free-ranging animals. However, validation of these data is rarely conducted and classification model transferability across closely-related species is often not tested. Here, we validated accelerometer and water sensor data to classify activity states in two free-ranging freshwater turtle species (Blanding's turtle, Emydoidea blandingii, and Painted turtle, Chrysemys picta). First, using only accelerometer data, we developed a decision tree to separate motion from motionless states, and second, we included water sensor data to classify the animal as being motionless or in-motion on land or in water. We found that accelerometers separated in-motion from motionless behaviour with > 83% accuracy, whereas models also including water sensor data predicted states in terrestrial and aquatic locations with > 77% accuracy. Despite differences in values separating activity states between the two species, we found high model transferability allowing cross-species application of classification models. Note that reducing sampling frequency did not affect predictive accuracy of our models up to a sampling frequency of 0.0625 Hz. We conclude that the use of accelerometers in animal research is promising, but requires prior data validation and development of robust classification models, and whenever possible cross-species assessment should be conducted to establish model generalisability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dennis L. Murray
- Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Agresta C, Freehill MT, Zendler J, Giblin G, Cain S. Sensor Location Matters When Estimating Player Workload for Baseball Pitching. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:9008. [PMID: 36433603 PMCID: PMC9698011 DOI: 10.3390/s22229008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Estimating external workload in baseball pitchers is important for training and rehabilitation. Since current methods of estimating workload through pitch counts and rest days have only been marginally successful, clubs are looking for more sophisticated methods to quantify the mechanical loads experienced by pitchers. Among these are the use of wearable systems. While wearables offer a promising solution, there remains a lack of standards or guidelines for how best to employ these devices. As a result, sensor location and workload calculation methods vary from system to system. This can influence workload estimates and blur their interpretation and utility when making decisions about training or returning to sport. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which sensor location influences workload estimate. A secondary purpose was to compare estimates using different workload calculations. Acceleration data from three sensor locations-trunk, throwing upper arm, and throwing forearm-were collected from ten collegiate pitchers as they threw a series of pitches during a single bullpen session. The effect of sensor location and pitch type was assessed in relation to four different workload estimates. Sensor location significantly influenced workload estimates. Workload estimates calculated from the forearm sensor were significantly different across pitch types. Whole-body workload measured from a trunk-mounted sensor may not adequately reflect the mechanical loads experienced at throwing arm segments. A sensor on the forearm was the most sensitive to differences in workloads across pitch types, regardless of the calculation method.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristine Agresta
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Michael T. Freehill
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Stanford University, Redwood City, CA 94063, USA
| | | | | | - Stephen Cain
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of West Virginia, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Gabaldon JT, Zhang D, Rocho-Levine J, Moore MJ, van der Hoop J, Barton K, Shorter KA. Tag-based estimates of bottlenose dolphin swimming behavior and energetics. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:280539. [PMID: 36326004 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Current estimates of marine mammal hydrodynamic forces tend to be made using camera-based kinematic data for a limited number of fluke strokes during a prescribed swimming task. In contrast, biologging tag data yield kinematic measurements from thousands of strokes, enabling new insights into swimming behavior and mechanics. However, there have been limited tag-based estimates of mechanical work and power. In this work, we investigated bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) swimming behavior using tag-measured kinematics and a hydrodynamic model to estimate propulsive power, work and cost of transport. Movement data were collected from six animals during prescribed straight-line swimming trials to investigate swimming mechanics over a range of sustained speeds (1.9-6.1 m s-1). Propulsive power ranged from 66 W to 3.8 kW over 282 total trials. During the lap trials, the dolphins swam at depths that mitigated wave drag, reducing overall drag throughout these mid- to high-speed tasks. Data were also collected from four individuals during undirected daytime (08:30-18:00 h) swimming to examine how self-selected movement strategies are used to modulate energetic efficiency and effort. Overall, self-selected swimming speeds (individual means ranging from 1.0 to 1.96 m s-1) tended to minimize cost of transport, and were on the lower range of animal-preferred speeds reported in literature. The results indicate that these dolphins moderate propulsive effort and efficiency through a combination of speed and depth regulation. This work provides new insights into dolphin swimming behavior in both prescribed tasks and self-selected swimming, and presents a path forward for continuous estimates of mechanical work and power from wild animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ding Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Michael J Moore
- Marine Mammal Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Julie van der Hoop
- Marine Mammal Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Kira Barton
- Robotics Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - K Alex Shorter
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Rautiainen H, Alam M, Blackwell PG, Skarin A. Identification of reindeer fine-scale foraging behaviour using tri-axial accelerometer data. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:40. [PMID: 36127747 PMCID: PMC9490970 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00339-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Animal behavioural responses to the environment ultimately affect their survival. Monitoring animal fine-scale behaviour may improve understanding of animal functional response to the environment and provide an important indicator of the welfare of both wild and domesticated species. In this study, we illustrate the application of collar-attached acceleration sensors for investigating reindeer fine-scale behaviour. Using data from 19 reindeer, we tested the supervised machine learning algorithms Random forests, Support vector machines, and hidden Markov models to classify reindeer behaviour into seven classes: grazing, browsing low from shrubs or browsing high from trees, inactivity, walking, trotting, and other behaviours. We implemented leave-one-subject-out cross-validation to assess generalizable results on new individuals. Our main results illustrated that hidden Markov models were able to classify collar-attached accelerometer data into all our pre-defined behaviours of reindeer with reasonable accuracy while Random forests and Support vector machines were biased towards dominant classes. Random forests using 5-s windows had the highest overall accuracy (85%), while hidden Markov models were able to best predict individual behaviours and handle rare behaviours such as trotting and browsing high. We conclude that hidden Markov models provide a useful tool to remotely monitor reindeer and potentially other large herbivore species behaviour. These methods will allow us to quantify fine-scale behavioural processes in relation to environmental events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Rautiainen
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Moudud Alam
- School of Information and Engineering, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden
| | - Paul G Blackwell
- School of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Anna Skarin
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Wake respirometry allows breath-by-breath assessment of ventilation and CO2 production in unrestrained animals. iScience 2022; 25:104878. [PMID: 36060068 PMCID: PMC9437847 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104878] [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: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying stress and energetic responses in animals are major challenges, as existing methods lack temporal resolution and elevate animal stress. We propose “wake respirometry,” a new method of quantifying fine-scale changes in CO2 production in unrestrained animals, using a nondispersive infrared CO2 sensor positioned downwind of the animal, i.e., in its wake. We parameterize the dispersion of CO2 in wakes using known CO2 flow rates and wind speeds. Tests with three bird species in a wind tunnel demonstrated that the system can resolve breath-by-breath changes in CO2 concentration, with clear exhalation signatures increasing in period and integral with body size. Changes in physiological state were detectable following handling, flight, and exposure to a perceived threat. We discuss the potential of wake respirometry to quantify stress and respiratory patterns in wild animals and provide suggestions for estimating behavior-specific metabolic rates via full integration of CO2 production across the wake. We use open-path nondispersive infrared spectroscopy CO2 sensor technology We measure ventilation rate and CO2 production in the wake of unrestrained animals Rapid responses to stressors and recovery from exercise can be measured Metabolic rate could be calculated by full integration of the wake of exhaled CO2
Collapse
|
31
|
Stiegler J, Lins A, Dammhahn M, Kramer-Schadt S, Ortmann S, Blaum N. Personality drives activity and space use in a mammalian herbivore. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:33. [PMID: 35964147 PMCID: PMC9375925 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00333-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal personality has emerged as a key concept in behavioral ecology. While many studies have demonstrated the influence of personality traits on behavioral patterns, its quantification, especially in wild animal populations, remains a challenge. Only a few studies have established a link between personality and recurring movements within home ranges, although these small-scale movements are of key importance for identifying ecological interactions and forming individual niches. In this regard, differences in space use among individuals might reflect different exploration styles between behavioral types along the shy-bold continuum. METHODS We assessed among-individual differences in behavior in the European hare (Lepus europaeus), a characteristic mammalian herbivore in agricultural landscapes using a standardized box emergence test for captive and wild hares. We determined an individuals' degree of boldness by measuring the latencies of behavioral responses in repeated emergence tests in captivity. During capture events of wild hares, we conducted a single emergence test and recorded behavioral responses proven to be stable over time in captive hares. Applying repeated novel environment tests in a near-natural enclosure, we further quantified aspects of exploration and activity in captive hares. Finally, we investigated whether and how this among-individual behavioral variation is related to general activity and space use in a wild hare population. Wild and captive hares were treated similarly and GPS-collared with internal accelerometers prior to release to the wild or the outdoor enclosure, respectively. General activity was quantified as overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA) obtained from accelerometers. Finally, we tested whether boldness explained variation in (i) ODBA in both settings and (ii) variation in home ranges and core areas across different time scales of GPS-collared hares in a wild population. RESULTS We found three behavioral responses to be consistent over time in captive hares. ODBA was positively related to boldness (i.e., short latencies to make first contact with the new environment) in both captive and wild hares. Space use in wild hares also varied with boldness, with shy individuals having smaller core areas and larger home ranges than bold conspecifics (yet in some of the parameter space, this association was just marginally significant). CONCLUSIONS Against our prediction, shy individuals occupied relatively large home ranges but with small core areas. We suggest that this space use pattern is due to them avoiding risky, and energy-demanding competition for valuable resources. Carefully validated, activity measurements (ODBA) from accelerometers provide a valuable tool to quantify aspects of animal personality along the shy-bold continuum remotely. Without directly observing-and possibly disturbing-focal individuals, this approach allows measuring variability in animal personality, especially in species that are difficult to assess with experiments. Considering that accelerometers are often already built into GPS units, we recommend activating them at least during the initial days of tracking to estimate individual variation in general activity and, if possible, match them with a simple novelty experiment. Furthermore, information on individual behavioral types will help to facilitate mechanistic understanding of processes that drive spatial and ecological dynamics in heterogeneous landscapes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Stiegler
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Alisa Lins
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Melanie Dammhahn
- Department for Behavioral Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Stephanie Kramer-Schadt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Ecology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sylvia Ortmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - Niels Blaum
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Krishnan K, Garde B, Bennison A, Cole NC, Cole EL, Darby J, Elliott KH, Fell A, Gómez-Laich A, de Grissac S, Jessopp M, Lempidakis E, Mizutani Y, Prudor A, Quetting M, Quintana F, Robotka H, Roulin A, Ryan PG, Schalcher K, Schoombie S, Tatayah V, Tremblay F, Weimerskirch H, Whelan S, Wikelski M, Yoda K, Hedenström A, Shepard ELC. The role of wingbeat frequency and amplitude in flight power. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20220168. [PMID: 36000229 PMCID: PMC9403799 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Body-mounted accelerometers provide a new prospect for estimating power use in flying birds, as the signal varies with the two major kinematic determinants of aerodynamic power: wingbeat frequency and amplitude. Yet wingbeat frequency is sometimes used as a proxy for power output in isolation. There is, therefore, a need to understand which kinematic parameter birds vary and whether this is predicted by flight mode (e.g. accelerating, ascending/descending flight), speed or morphology. We investigate this using high-frequency acceleration data from (i) 14 species flying in the wild, (ii) two species flying in controlled conditions in a wind tunnel and (iii) a review of experimental and field studies. While wingbeat frequency and amplitude were positively correlated, R2 values were generally low, supporting the idea that parameters can vary independently. Indeed, birds were more likely to modulate wingbeat amplitude for more energy-demanding flight modes, including climbing and take-off. Nonetheless, the striking variability, even within species and flight types, highlights the complexity of describing the kinematic relationships, which appear sensitive to both the biological and physical context. Notwithstanding this, acceleration metrics that incorporate both kinematic parameters should be more robust proxies for power than wingbeat frequency alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Baptiste Garde
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8PP, UK
| | - Ashley Bennison
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork T23 N73 K, Ireland
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nik C. Cole
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, La Profonde Rue, Jersey JE3 5BP, Jersey
| | - Emma-L. Cole
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8PP, UK
| | - Jamie Darby
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork T23 N73 K, Ireland
| | - Kyle H. Elliott
- Department of Natural Resources Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Adam Fell
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Agustina Gómez-Laich
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución and Instituto de Ecología, Genética Y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), CONICET, Pabellón II Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sophie de Grissac
- Diomedea Science – Research and Scientific Communication, 819 route de la Jars, 38 950 Quaix-en-Chartreuse, France
| | - Mark Jessopp
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork T23 N73 K, Ireland
| | | | - Yuichi Mizutani
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Aurélien Prudor
- Centres d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé – CNRS, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Michael Quetting
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Flavio Quintana
- Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR), CONICET, Boulevard Brown, 2915, U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | | | - Alexandre Roulin
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Building Biophore, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Peter G. Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Kim Schalcher
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Building Biophore, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Schoombie
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Vikash Tatayah
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Grannum Road, Vacoas 73418, Mauritius
| | - Fred Tremblay
- Department of Natural Resources Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Shannon Whelan
- Department of Natural Resources Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ken Yoda
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Anders Hedenström
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Environmental and social correlates, and energetic consequences of fitness maximisation on different migratory behaviours in a long-lived scavenger. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03223-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
34
|
Hounslow JL, Fossette S, Byrnes EE, Whiting SD, Lambourne RN, Armstrong NJ, Tucker AD, Richardson AR, Gleiss AC. Multivariate analysis of biologging data reveals the environmental determinants of diving behaviour in a marine reptile. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211860. [PMID: 35958091 PMCID: PMC9364005 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Diving behaviour of 'surfacers' such as sea snakes, cetaceans and turtles is complex and multi-dimensional, thus may be better captured by multi-sensor biologging data. However, analysing these large multi-faceted datasets remains challenging, though a high priority. We used high-resolution multi-sensor biologging data to provide the first detailed description of the environmental influences on flatback turtle (Natator depressus) diving behaviour, during its foraging life-history stage. We developed an analytical method to investigate seasonal, diel and tidal effects on diving behaviour for 24 adult flatback turtles tagged with biologgers. We extracted 16 dive variables associated with three-dimensional and kinematic characteristics for 4128 dives. K-means and hierarchical cluster analyses failed to identify distinct dive types. Instead, principal component analysis objectively condensed the dive variables, removing collinearity and highlighting the main features of diving behaviour. Generalized additive mixed models of the main principal components identified significant seasonal, diel and tidal effects on flatback turtle diving behaviour. Flatback turtles altered their diving behaviour in response to extreme tidal and water temperature ranges, displaying thermoregulation and predator avoidance strategies while likely optimizing foraging in this challenging environment. This study demonstrates an alternative statistical technique for objectively interpreting diving behaviour from multivariate collinear data derived from biologgers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jenna L. Hounslow
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
- Environmental and Conservation Science, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Sabrina Fossette
- Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Evan E. Byrnes
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
- Environmental and Conservation Science, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
- Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Scott D. Whiting
- Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Renae N. Lambourne
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
- Environmental and Conservation Science, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Nicola J. Armstrong
- School of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Anton D. Tucker
- Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Anthony R. Richardson
- Parks and Wildlife Service, West Kimberley District, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Broome, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Adrian C. Gleiss
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
- Environmental and Conservation Science, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Nazario EC, Cade DE, Bierlich K, Czapanskiy MF, Goldbogen JA, Kahane-Rapport SR, van der Hoop JM, San Luis MT, Friedlaender AS. Baleen whale inhalation variability revealed using animal-borne video tags. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13724. [PMID: 35880219 PMCID: PMC9308462 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Empirical metabolic rate and oxygen consumption estimates for free-ranging whales have been limited to counting respiratory events at the surface. Because these observations were limited and generally viewed from afar, variability in respiratory properties was unknown and oxygen consumption estimates assumed constant breath-to-breath tidal volume and oxygen uptake. However, evidence suggests that cetaceans in human care vary tidal volume and breathing frequency to meet aerobic demand, which would significantly impact energetic estimates if the findings held in free-ranging species. In this study, we used suction cup-attached video tags positioned posterior to the nares of two humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and four Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) to measure inhalation duration, relative nares expansion, and maximum nares expansion. Inhalation duration and nares expansion varied between and within initial, middle, and terminal breaths of surface sequences between dives. The initial and middle breaths exhibited the least variability and had the shortest durations and smallest nares expansions. In contrast, terminal breaths were highly variable, with the longest inhalation durations and the largest nares expansions. Our results demonstrate breath-to-breath variability in duration and nares expansion, suggesting differential oxygen exchange in each breath during the surface interval. With future validation, inhalation duration or nares area could be used alongside respiratory frequency to improve oxygen consumption estimates by accounting for breath-to-breath variation in wild whales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Nazario
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| | - David E. Cade
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, United States of America
| | - K.C. Bierlich
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, United States of America
| | - Max F. Czapanskiy
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, United States of America
| | - Jeremy A. Goldbogen
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, United States of America
| | - Shirel R. Kahane-Rapport
- Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Merceline T. San Luis
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| | - Ari S. Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Zhang VY, Gagorik CN, Brenner LJ, Boser CL, Theimer TC, Buck CL. Interspecific Asymmetries in Behavioral Plasticity Drive Seasonal Patterns of Temporal Niche Partitioning in an Island Carnivore Community. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:998-1011. [PMID: 35803500 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals vary considerably in the amount of behavioral plasticity they exhibit in daily activity timing and temporal niche switching. It is not well understood how environmental factors drive changes in temporal activity or how interspecific differences in the plasticity of activity timing ultimately manifest in free-living animals. Here, we investigated the temporal structure and organization of activity patterns of two insular mammalian carnivores living in sympatry, the island fox (Urocyon littoralis) and island spotted skunk (Spilogale gracilis amphiala). Using collar-mounted accelerometers, we assessed the plasticity of behavioral activity rhythms in foxes and skunks by investigating how environmental factors drive the distribution of locomotor activity across the day and year, and subsequently examined the dynamics of temporal niche overlap between the two species. We documented that foxes express phenotypic plasticity in daily activity timing across the year, ranging from nocturnal to diurnal to crepuscular rhythms depending on individual and time of year. Most notably, foxes increased the proportion of daytime activity as seasonal temperatures decreased. Overall, activity patterns of foxes were consistent with the circadian thermoenergetics hypothesis, which posits that animals that switch their patterns of activity do so to coincide with the most energetically favorable time of day. In contrast to foxes, skunks exhibited little behavioral plasticity, appearing strictly nocturnal across the year. While the duration of skunk activity bouts increased with the duration of night, timing of activity onset and offset extended into daytime hours during summer when the duration of darkness was shortest. Analysis of temporal niche overlap between foxes and skunks suggested that niche overlap was highest during summer and lowest during winter and was dictated primarily by temporal niche switching in foxes, rather than skunks. Collectively, our results highlight how interspecific asymmetries in behavioral plasticity drive dynamic patterns of temporal niche overlap within an island carnivore community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victor Y Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | | | | | | | - Tad C Theimer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Williams TM, Blackwell SB, Tervo O, Garde E, Sinding MS, Richter B, Heide‐Jørgensen MP. Physiological responses of narwhals to anthropogenic noise: A case study with seismic airguns and vessel traffic in the Arctic. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Terrie M. Williams
- Coastal Biology Building‐ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 130 McAllister Way University of California‐ Santa Cruz CA
| | | | - Outi Tervo
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources Copenhagen K Denmark
| | - Eva Garde
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources Copenhagen K Denmark
| | | | - Beau Richter
- Coastal Biology Building‐ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 130 McAllister Way University of California‐ Santa Cruz CA
| | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Mizrahy-Rewald O, Perinot E, Fritz J, Vyssotski AL, Fusani L, Voelkl B, Ruf T. Empirical Evidence for Energy Efficiency Using Intermittent Gliding Flight in Northern Bald Ibises. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.891079] [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
Birds face exceptionally high energy demands during their flight. One visible feature of some species is alternating between flapping and gliding, which should allow them to save energy. To date, there is no empirical evidence of an energetic benefit to this. To understand the physiology behind the strategy, we equipped hand-raised Northern Bald Ibises (Geronticus eremita) with data loggers during human-guided migration. We monitored the position of the birds, wingbeats, overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA), and heart rates as a proxy for energy expenditure. The energy expenditure was significantly affected by the length of flapping and gliding bouts. A pronounced decrease in heart rate was measured after already 1 s of gliding. Additionally, the heart rate at flapping bouts up to 30 s increased steadily but stabilized thereafter. The gilding proportion during intermittent flight affected the energy saving compared to continuous flapping. At a gliding proportion of about 20%, we measured a maximum of 11% saving based on heart rate measurement. At higher gliding proportions, the additional energy saving was negligible. Furthermore, as during flight, not all energy is used for mechanical work, we found a greater decrease rate of ODBA at different gliding proportions compared to heart rate. Nevertheless, the combination of the two methods is essential to determine birds’ movement and energy expenditure. This study provides empirical evidence that intermittent flight is energetically beneficial and can reduce the high costs of flights.
Collapse
|
39
|
Ste Marie E, Grémillet D, Fort J, Patterson A, Brisson-Curadeau É, Clairbaux M, Perret S, Speakman J, Elliott KH. Accelerating animal energetics: High dive costs in a small seabird disrupt the dynamic body acceleration - energy expenditure relationship. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:275487. [PMID: 35593255 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Accelerometry has been widely used to estimate energy expenditure in a broad array of terrestrial and aquatic species. However, a recent reappraisal of the method showed that relationships between dynamic body acceleration (DBA) and energy expenditure weaken as the proportion of non-mechanical costs increase. Aquatic air breathing species often exemplify this pattern, as buoyancy, thermoregulation and other physiological mechanisms disproportionately affect oxygen consumption during dives. Combining biologging with the doubly-labelled water method, we simultaneously recorded daily energy expenditure (DEE) and triaxial acceleration in one of the world's smallest wing-propelled breath-hold divers, the dovekie (Alle alle). These data were used to estimate the activity-specific costs of flying and diving and to test whether overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA) is a reliable predictor of DEE in this abundant seabird. Average DEE for chick-rearing dovekies was 604±119 kJ/d across both sampling years. Despite recording lower stroke frequencies for diving than for flying (in line with allometric predictions for auks), dive costs were estimated to surpass flight costs in our sample of birds (flying: 7.24, diving: 9.37 X BMR). As expected, ODBA was not an effective predictor of DEE in this species. However, accelerometer-derived time budgets did accurately estimate DEE in dovekies. This work represents an empirical example of how the apparent energetic costs of buoyancy and thermoregulation limit the effectiveness of ODBA as the sole predictor of overall energy expenditure in small shallow-diving endotherms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Ste Marie
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - David Grémillet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois, France.,Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR7266 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Allison Patterson
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Émile Brisson-Curadeau
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Manon Clairbaux
- School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, University College Cork, Cork T23 N73K, Ireland
| | - Samuel Perret
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier
| | - John Speakman
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Kyle H Elliott
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Yu H, Deng J, Leen T, Li G, Klaassen M. Continuous on‐board behaviour classification using accelerometry – a case study with a new
GPS‐3G‐Bluetooth
system in Pacific Black Ducks. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Yu
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Geelong Victoria Australia
- Druid Technology Co., Ltd Chengdu Sichuan China
| | - Jian Deng
- Druid Technology Co., Ltd Chengdu Sichuan China
| | - Trent Leen
- Geelong Field & Game, Balliang East Victoria Australia
- Wetlands Environmental Taskforce, Seymour Victoria Australia
| | - Guozheng Li
- Druid Technology Co., Ltd Chengdu Sichuan China
- Northwest Institute of Eco‐Environment and Resources Chinese Academy of Sciences Lanzhou Gansu China
| | - Marcel Klaassen
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Geelong Victoria Australia
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Parameterizing animal sounds and motion with animal-attached tags to study acoustic communication. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03154-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Stemming from the traditional use of field observers to score states and events, the study of animal behaviour often relies on analyses of discrete behavioural categories. Many studies of acoustic communication record sequences of animal sounds, classify vocalizations, and then examine how call categories are used relative to behavioural states and events. However, acoustic parameters can also convey information independent of call type, offering complementary study approaches to call classifications. Animal-attached tags can continuously sample high-resolution behavioural data on sounds and movements, which enables testing how acoustic parameters of signals relate to parameters of animal motion. Here, we present this approach through case studies on wild common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Using data from sound-and-movement recording tags deployed in Sarasota (FL), we parameterized dolphin vocalizations and motion to investigate how senders and receivers modified movement parameters (including vectorial dynamic body acceleration, “VeDBA”, a proxy for activity intensity) as a function of signal parameters. We show that (1) VeDBA of one female during consortships had a negative relationship with centroid frequency of male calls, matching predictions about agonistic interactions based on motivation-structural rules; (2) VeDBA of four males had a positive relationship with modulation rate of their pulsed vocalizations, confirming predictions that click-repetition rate of these calls increases with agonism intensity. Tags offer opportunities to study animal behaviour through analyses of continuously sampled quantitative parameters, which can complement traditional methods and facilitate research replication. Our case studies illustrate the value of this approach to investigate communicative roles of acoustic parameter changes.
Significance statement
Studies of animal behaviour have traditionally relied on classification of behavioural patterns and analyses of discrete behavioural categories. Today, technologies such as animal-attached tags enable novel approaches, facilitating the use of quantitative metrics to characterize behaviour. In the field of acoustic communication, researchers typically classify vocalizations and examine usage of call categories. Through case studies of bottlenose dolphin social interactions, we present here a novel tag-based complementary approach. We used high-resolution tag data to parameterize dolphin sounds and motion, and we applied continuously sampled parameters to examine how individual dolphins responded to conspecifics’ signals and moved while producing sounds. Activity intensity of senders and receivers changed with specific call parameters, matching our predictions and illustrating the value of our approach to test communicative roles of acoustic parameter changes. Parametric approaches can complement traditional methods for animal behaviour and facilitate research replication.
Collapse
|
42
|
Garde B, Wilson RP, Fell A, Cole N, Tatayah V, Holton MD, Rose KAR, Metcalfe RS, Robotka H, Wikelski M, Tremblay F, Whelan S, Elliott KH, Shepard ELC. Ecological inference using data from accelerometers needs careful protocols. Methods Ecol Evol 2022; 13:813-825. [PMID: 35910299 PMCID: PMC9303593 DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Accelerometers in animal-attached tags are powerful tools in behavioural ecology, they can be used to determine behaviour and provide proxies for movement-based energy expenditure. Researchers are collecting and archiving data across systems, seasons and device types. However, using data repositories to draw ecological inference requires a good understanding of the error introduced according to sensor type and position on the study animal and protocols for error assessment and minimisation.Using laboratory trials, we examine the absolute accuracy of tri-axial accelerometers and determine how inaccuracies impact measurements of dynamic body acceleration (DBA), a proxy for energy expenditure, in human participants. We then examine how tag type and placement affect the acceleration signal in birds, using pigeons Columba livia flying in a wind tunnel, with tags mounted simultaneously in two positions, and back- and tail-mounted tags deployed on wild kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla. Finally, we present a case study where two generations of tag were deployed using different attachment procedures on red-tailed tropicbirds Phaethon rubricauda foraging in different seasons.Bench tests showed that individual acceleration axes required a two-level correction to eliminate measurement error. This resulted in DBA differences of up to 5% between calibrated and uncalibrated tags for humans walking at a range of speeds. Device position was associated with greater variation in DBA, with upper and lower back-mounted tags varying by 9% in pigeons, and tail- and back-mounted tags varying by 13% in kittiwakes. The tropicbird study highlighted the difficulties of attributing changes in signal amplitude to a single factor when confounding influences tend to covary, as DBA varied by 25% between seasons.Accelerometer accuracy, tag placement and attachment critically affect the signal amplitude and thereby the ability of the system to detect biologically meaningful phenomena. We propose a simple method to calibrate accelerometers that can be executed under field conditions. This should be used prior to deployments and archived with resulting data. We also suggest a way that researchers can assess accuracy in previously collected data, and caution that variable tag placement and attachment can increase sensor noise and even generate trends that have no biological meaning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Adam Fell
- Department of BiosciencesSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - Nik Cole
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation TrustLa Profonde RueJerseyJersey
| | | | | | | | - Richard S. Metcalfe
- Applied Sports Science, Technology, Exercise and Medicine Research Centre (A‐STEM)Swansea UniversitySwanseaUK
| | | | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of MigrationMax Planck Institute of Animal BehaviorRadolfzellGermany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective BehaviourUniversity of KonstanzConstanceGermany
| | - Fred Tremblay
- Department of Natural Resources SciencesMcGill UniversitySainte‐Anne‐de‐BellevueQCCanada
| | - Shannon Whelan
- Department of Natural Resources SciencesMcGill UniversitySainte‐Anne‐de‐BellevueQCCanada
| | - Kyle H. Elliott
- Department of Natural Resources SciencesMcGill UniversitySainte‐Anne‐de‐BellevueQCCanada
| | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Ishikawa K, Wu H, Mitarai S, Genin A. Effects of prey density and flow speed on plankton feeding by garden eels: A flume study. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274794. [PMID: 35315487 PMCID: PMC9124482 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Feeding by zooplanktivorous fish depends on their foraging movements and the flux of prey to which they are exposed. While prey flux is a linear function of zooplankton density and flow speed, those two factors are expected to contribute differently to fish movements. Our objective was to determine the effects of these factors for garden eels, stationary fish that feed while anchored to the sandy bottom by keeping the posterior parts of their bodies inside a burrow. Using a custom-made flume with a sandy bottom, we quantified the effects of prey density and flow speed on feeding rates by spotted garden eels (Heteroconger hassi). Feeding rates increased linearly with prey density. However, feeding rates did not show a linear relationship with flow speed and decreased at 0.25 m s−1. Using label-free tracking of body points and 3D movement analysis, we found that the reduction in feeding rates was related to modulation of the eel's movements, whereby the expected increase in energy expenditure was avoided by reducing exposure and drag. No effects of flow speed on strike speed, reactive distance or vectorial dynamic body acceleration (VeDBA) were found. A foraging model based on the body length extended from the burrow showed correspondence with observations. These findings suggest that as a result of their unique foraging mode, garden eels can occupy self-made burrows in exposed shelter-free sandy bottoms where they can effectively feed on drifting zooplankton. Summary: Analysis of feeding by anchored garden eels in a flume shows their unique strategies, modulating dependence on burrows and foraging movements, to enable effective feeding at a wide range of flow speeds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kota Ishikawa
- Marine Biophysics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Heng Wu
- Marine Biophysics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Satoshi Mitarai
- Marine Biophysics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Amatzia Genin
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat and Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Eilat, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Ariano‐Sánchez D, Mortensen RM, Wilson RP, Bjureke P, Reinhardt S, Rosell F. Temperature and barometric pressure affect the activity intensity and movement of an endangered thermoconforming lizard. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ariano‐Sánchez
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø Telemark Norway
- Centro de Estudios Ambientales y Biodiversidad Universidad del Valle de Guatemala Guatemala City Guatemala
| | - Rasmus M. Mortensen
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø Telemark Norway
| | - Rory P. Wilson
- Biosciences, College of Science Swansea University Swansea Wales UK
| | - Peder Bjureke
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø Telemark Norway
| | - Stefanie Reinhardt
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø Telemark Norway
| | - Frank Rosell
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø Telemark Norway
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Watanabe YY, Rutz C. Accelerometer-based analyses of animal sleep patterns. eLife 2022; 11:77349. [PMID: 35258454 PMCID: PMC8903825 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Body-motion sensors can be used to study non-invasively how animals sleep in the wild, opening up exciting opportunities for comparative analyses across species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuuki Y Watanabe
- National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Polar Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Christian Rutz
- Centre for Biological Diversity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Ste-Marie E, Watanabe YY, Semmens JM, Marcoux M, Hussey NE. Life in the slow lane: Field Metabolic Rate and Prey Consumption Rate of the Greenland Shark (Somniosus microcephalus) modeled using Archival Biologgers. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274642. [PMID: 35258589 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Field metabolic rate (FMR) is a holistic measure of metabolism representing the routine energy utilization of a species living within a specific ecological context, thus providing insight into its ecology, fitness and resilience to environmental stressors. For animals which cannot be easily observed in the wild, FMR can also be used in concert with dietary data to quantitatively assess their role as consumers, improving understanding of the trophic linkages that structure food webs and allowing for informed management decisions. Here we modeled the FMR of Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) equipped with biologger packages or pop-up archival satellite tags (PSATs) in two coastal inlets of Baffin Island (Nunavut) using metabolic scaling relationships for mass, temperature and activity. We estimated that Greenland sharks had an overall mean FMR of 21.67±2.30 mgO2h-1kg-0.84 (n=30; 1-4 day accelerometer package deployments) while residing inside these cold-water fjord systems in the late summer, and 25.48±0.47 mgO2h-1kg-0.84 (n=6; PSATs) over an entire year. When considering prey consumption rate, an average shark in these systems (224kg) requires a maintenance ration of 61-193g of fish or marine mammal prey daily. As a lethargic polar species, these low FMR estimates, and corresponding prey consumption estimates suggest Greenland sharks require very little energy to sustain themselves under natural conditions. These data provide the first characterization of the energetics and consumer role of this vulnerable and understudied species in the wild, essential given growing pressures from climate change and expanding commercial fisheries in the Arctic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Ste-Marie
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Yuuki Y Watanabe
- National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Tokyo, 190-8518, Japan.,Department of Polar Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Tachikawa, Tokyo, 190-8518, Japan
| | - Jayson M Semmens
- Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Taroona, TAS, 7053, Australia
| | - Marianne Marcoux
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Nigel E Hussey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Analysis of Accelerometer and GPS Data for Cattle Behaviour Identification and Anomalous Events Detection. ENTROPY 2022; 24:e24030336. [PMID: 35327847 PMCID: PMC8947510 DOI: 10.3390/e24030336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, a method to classify behavioural patterns of cattle on farms is presented. Animals were equipped with low-cost 3-D accelerometers and GPS sensors, embedded in a commercial device attached to the neck. Accelerometer signals were sampled at 10 Hz, and data from each axis was independently processed to extract 108 features in the time and frequency domains. A total of 238 activity patterns, corresponding to four different classes (grazing, ruminating, laying and steady standing), with duration ranging from few seconds to several minutes, were recorded on video and matched to accelerometer raw data to train a random forest machine learning classifier. GPS location was sampled every 5 min, to reduce battery consumption, and analysed via the k-medoids unsupervised machine learning algorithm to track location and spatial scatter of herds. Results indicate good accuracy for classification from accelerometer records, with best accuracy (0.93) for grazing. The complementary application of both methods to monitor activities of interest, such as sustainable pasture consumption in small and mid-size farms, and to detect anomalous events is also explored. Results encourage replicating the experiment in other farms, to consolidate the proposed strategy.
Collapse
|
48
|
Ratsimbazafindranahaka MN, Huetz C, Andrianarimisa A, Reidenberg JS, Saloma A, Adam O, Charrier I. Characterizing the suckling behavior by video and 3D-accelerometry in humpback whale calves on a breeding ground. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12945. [PMID: 35194528 PMCID: PMC8858581 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Getting maternal milk through nursing is vital for all newborn mammals. Despite its importance, nursing has been poorly documented in humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Nursing is difficult to observe underwater without disturbing the whales and is usually impossible to observe from a ship. We attempted to observe nursing from the calf's perspective by placing CATS cam tags on three humpback whale calves in the Sainte Marie channel, Madagascar, Indian Ocean, during the breeding seasons. CATS cam tags are animal-borne multi-sensor tags equipped with a video camera, a hydrophone, and several auxiliary sensors (including a 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis magnetometer, and a depth sensor). The use of multi-sensor tags minimized potential disturbance from human presence. A total of 10.52 h of video recordings were collected with the corresponding auxiliary data. Video recordings were manually analyzed and correlated with the auxiliary data, allowing us to extract different kinematic features including the depth rate, speed, Fluke Stroke Rate (FSR), Overall Body Dynamic Acceleration (ODBA), pitch, roll, and roll rate. We found that suckling events lasted 18.8 ± 8.8 s on average (N = 34) and were performed mostly during dives. Suckling events represented 1.7% of the total observation time. During suckling, the calves were visually estimated to be at a 30-45° pitch angle relative to the midline of their mother's body and were always observed rolling either to the right or to the left. In our auxiliary dataset, we confirmed that suckling behavior was primarily characterized by a high average absolute roll and additionally we also found that it was likely characterized by a high average FSR and a low average speed. Kinematic features were used for supervised machine learning in order to subsequently detect suckling behavior automatically. Our study is a proof of method on which future investigations can build upon. It opens new opportunities for further investigation of suckling behavior in humpback whales and the baleen whale species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maevatiana N. Ratsimbazafindranahaka
- Association Cétamada, Barachois Sainte Marie, Madagascar,Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Saclay, France,Département de Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Université d’Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Chloé Huetz
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Saclay, France
| | - Aristide Andrianarimisa
- Département de Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Université d’Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Joy S. Reidenberg
- Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, United States of America
| | - Anjara Saloma
- Association Cétamada, Barachois Sainte Marie, Madagascar
| | - Olivier Adam
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Saclay, France,Institut Jean Le Rond d’Alembert, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Charrier
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Saclay, France
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Zhang VY, Buck CL. Seasonal patterns in behavior and glucocorticoid secretion of a specialist Holarctic tree squirrel (Sciurus aberti). J Comp Physiol B 2022; 192:541-559. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-022-01429-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
50
|
Environmental Enrichment Factors Associated with the Activity Level of Bottlenose Dolphins under Professional Care. JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jzbg3010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental enrichment can be used to improve the welfare of dolphins in zoos and aquariums. Bottlenose dolphins under professional care are typically provided with a range of enrichment that has a variety of features and levels of complexity at various frequencies. In the present study, a subset of data from a larger study entitled “Towards understanding the welfare of cetaceans in zoos and aquariums” (colloquially called the Cetacean Welfare Study) was used to examine the relationship between activity level and enrichment buoyancy as well as enrichment provisioning schedules. Survey data were collected from accredited zoos and aquariums related to the types of enrichment provided to the dolphins and the frequency and duration they were supplied. Non-invasive bio-logging devices were used to record the dolphin kinematics one day per week over the course of two five-week data collection periods. Activity level related positively with the total duration of time non-stationary enrichment was provided. In addition, providing a larger number of enrichment types each between 26% and 50% of the days in a month (i.e., rotating many different types of enrichment across days on a moderate schedule) was positively related to activity level. Activity level was negatively related to the number of times sinking enrichment was provided. Understanding how the temporal schedule and features of various types of enrichment are related to activity levels will aid in developing progressively more effective enrichment programs.
Collapse
|