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Olazábal DE, Pillay N, Sandberg N, Hartman KJ. Description and comparison of brain distribution of oxytocin receptors in Rhabdomys pumillio and Rhabdomys dilectus. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 335:114224. [PMID: 36702289 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2023.114224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin receptor (OXTR) distribution in the brain has been associated with different reproductive and social strategies of species. Rhabdomys pumilio (R. pumilio) and Rhabdomys dilectus (R. dilectus) are two sister rodent species that live in large/medium (but flexible) or small (mostly solitary) social groups respectively. In this study, we describe and compare the distribution of OXTR in these two species. OXTR binding in the brain of R. pumilio (8 females and 5 males) and R. dilectus (8 females and 5 males) adults was determined using autoradiography. Our results revealed significant differences in the nucleus accumbens, diagonal band, medial preoptic area, lateral habenula, superior colliculus, periaqueductal area and anterior paraventricular nucleus (higher in R. dilectus), and the dorsal lateral septum and anterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (higher in R. pumilio). OXTR density in other brain regions, such as the amygdala nuclei and hippocampus, did not differ between the two species. Sex differences were found in the medial preoptic area and ventral region of the lateral septum in R. pumilio (OXTR density higher in males) and in the anterior paraventricular thalamic nucleus, ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus and basolateral amygdala of R. dilectus (OXTR density higher in females). A sex difference in the density of OXTR was also found in the posterior region of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, where it was higher in males than in females of both species. This study shows species-specific brain distribution of OXTR in R. pumilio and R. dilectus that are unique, but with similarities with other polygynous or promiscuous rodent species that live in variable size groups, such as R. norvergicus, C. sociabilis, S. teguina and M. musculus.
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Affiliation(s)
- D E Olazábal
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Udelar, Montevideo, Uruguay.
| | - N Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - N Sandberg
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Udelar, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - K-J Hartman
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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2
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Matamba E, Richards LR, Cherry MI, Rambau RV. Phylogeography of the mesic-adapted striped mouse, Rhabdomys dilectus chakae (Rodentia: Muridae) in forest margins of the Eastern Cape and southern KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blac087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Rhabdomys is a genus that occupies a variety of habitats, including forest margins. Among the Rhabdomys taxa, Rhabdomys dilectus chakae has a distribution that covers the eastern seaboard of South Africa, with a poorly defined divergence date from its sister taxon Rhabdomys dilectus dilectus. Here, we study three mitochondrial markers (cytochrome b, cytochrome c oxidase I and partial control region) of R. d. chakae across the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal forests of South Africa, aiming to determine the cladogenesis (molecular dating) and effective population size of this subspecies through time, in addition to its cladogenesis in relationship to other species within the genus. A phylogenetic analysis revealed six clades within Rhabdomys, confirming that our study area is occupied solely by R. d. chakae, to the exclusion of other recognized sibling species. A fossil-calibrated Bayesian relaxed molecular clock estimated a recent split between R. d. chakae and R. d. dilectus ~1.4 ± 0.35 Mya and between two Rhabdomys pumilio groups, coastal A and B, at 1.16 ± 0.44 Mya. Coalescent Bayesian skyline plots revealed a stable population of R. d. chakae in the study area that was in slow decline until 2500 years ago, when there was an expansion in the late Holocene. Radiation within Rhabdomys dates as far back as 4.27 Mya, and subsequent demographic fluctuations primarily reflect palaeoclimatic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Matamba
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University , Matieland , South Africa
| | | | - Michael I Cherry
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University , Matieland , South Africa
| | - Ramugondo V Rambau
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University , Matieland , South Africa
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3
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Kosicki JZ. Niche segregation on the landscape scale of two co-existing related congeners in the sympatric zone – modelling approach. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.109960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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4
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Green CP, Ratcliffe N, Mattern T, Thompson D, Lea MA, Wotherspoon S, Borboroglu PG, Ellenberg U, Morrison KW, Pütz K, Sagar PM, Seddon PJ, Torres LG, Hindell MA. The role of allochrony in influencing interspecific differences in foraging distribution during the non-breeding season between two congeneric crested penguin species. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262901. [PMID: 35139102 PMCID: PMC8827451 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms promoting coexistence between closely related species are fundamental for maintaining species diversity. Mechanisms of niche differentiation include allochrony which offsets the peak timing of resource utilisation between species. Many studies focus on spatial and temporal niche partitioning during the breeding season, few have investigated the role allochrony plays in influencing interspecific segregation of foraging distribution and ecology between congeneric species during the non-breeding season. We investigated the non-breeding migrations of Snares (Eudyptes robustus) and Fiordland penguins (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus), closely related species breeding between 100-350 km apart whose migration phenology differs by two months. Using light geolocation tracking, we examined the degree of overlap given the observed allochrony and a hypothetical scenario where the species commence migration simultaneously. We found that Fiordland penguins migrated to the Sub-Antarctic Frontal Zone and Polar Frontal Zone in the austral autumn whereas Snares penguins disperse westwards staying north of the Sub-Tropical Front in the austral winter. Our results suggest that allochrony is likely to be at the root of segregation because the relative profitability of the different water masses that the penguins forage in changes seasonally which results in the two species utilising different areas over their core non-breeding periods. Furthermore, allochrony reduces relatively higher levels of spatiotemporal overlap during the departure and arrival periods, when the close proximity of the two species' colonies would cause the birds to congregate in similar areas, resulting in high interspecific competition just before the breeding season. Available evidence from other studies suggests that the shift in phenology between these species has arisen from adaptive radiation and phenological matching to the seasonality of local resource availability during the breeding season and reduced competitive overlap over the non-breeding season is likely to be an incidental outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara-Paige Green
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Thomas Mattern
- New Zealand Penguin Initiative, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Global Penguin Society, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - David Thompson
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., Hataitai, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Mary-Anne Lea
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Simon Wotherspoon
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Pablo Garcia Borboroglu
- New Zealand Penguin Initiative, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Global Penguin Society, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR–CONICET), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Ursula Ellenberg
- Global Penguin Society, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kyle W. Morrison
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., Hataitai, Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | - Paul M. Sagar
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Philip J. Seddon
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Leigh G. Torres
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Mark A. Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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5
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McEachin S, Drury JP, Anderson CN, Grether GF. Mechanisms of reduced interspecific interference between territorial species. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Interspecific territoriality has complex ecological and evolutionary consequences. Species that interact aggressively often exhibit spatial or temporal shifts in activity that reduce the frequency of costly encounters. We analyzed data collected over a 13-year period on 50 populations of rubyspot damselflies (Hetaerina spp.) to examine how rates of interspecific fighting covary with fine-scale habitat partitioning and to test for agonistic character displacement in microhabitat preferences. In most sympatric species, interspecific fights occur less frequently than expected based on the species’ relative densities. Incorporating measurements of spatial segregation and species discrimination into the calculation of expected frequencies accounted for most of the reduction in interspecific fighting (subtle differences in microhabitat preferences could account for the rest). In 23 of 25 sympatric population pairs, we found multivariate differences between species in territory microhabitat (perch height, stream width, current speed, and canopy cover). As predicted by the agonistic character displacement hypothesis, sympatric species that respond more aggressively to each other in direct encounters differ more in microhabitat use and have higher levels of spatial segregation. Previous work established that species with the lowest levels of interspecific fighting have diverged in territory signals and competitor recognition through agonistic character displacement. In the other species pairs, interspecific aggression appears to be maintained as an adaptive response to reproductive interference, but interspecific fighting is still costly. We now have robust evidence that evolved shifts in microhabitat preferences also reduce the frequency of interspecific fighting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn McEachin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, 621 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Gregory F Grether
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, 621 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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6
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Gao D, Fu L, Sun J, Li Y, Cao Z, Liu Y, Xu P, Zhao J. The mid-domain effect and habitat complexity applied to elevational gradients: Moss species richness in a temperate semihumid monsoon climate mountain of China. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:7448-7460. [PMID: 34188826 PMCID: PMC8216932 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The utility of elevational gradients as tools to test either ecological hypotheses and delineate elevation-associated environmental factors that explain the species diversity patterns is critical for moss species conservation. We examined the elevational patterns of species richness and evaluated the effects of spatial and environmental factors on moss species predicted a priori by alternative hypotheses, including mid-domain effect (MDE), habitat complexity, energy, and environment proposed to explain the variation of diversity. Last, we assessed the contribution of elevation toward explaining the heterogeneity among sampling sites. We observed the hump-shaped distribution pattern of species richness along elevational gradient. The MDE and the habitat complexity hypothesis were supported with MDE being the primary driver for richness patterns, whereas little support was found for the energy and the environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- De Gao
- Department of Resources and Environmental ScienceHebei Normal UniversityShijiazhuangChina
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological ConstructionShijiazhuangChina
- Hebei Technology Innovation Center for Remote Sensing Identification of Environmental ChangeShijiazhuangChina
| | - Liqin Fu
- Department of Life ScienceHebei Normal UniversityShijiazhuangChina
| | - Jiaxing Sun
- Department of Life ScienceHebei Normal UniversityShijiazhuangChina
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Life ScienceHebei Normal UniversityShijiazhuangChina
| | - Zhen Cao
- Department of Chemical and Environmental EngineeringHebei College of Industry and TechnologyShijiazhuangChina
| | - Yongying Liu
- Department of BiologyJiaozuo Normal CollegeJiaozuoChina
| | - Peng Xu
- Department of Mathematics and StatisticsEastern Michigan UniversityYpsilantiMIUSA
| | - Jiancheng Zhao
- Department of Life ScienceHebei Normal UniversityShijiazhuangChina
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7
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Krasnov BR, Spickett A, Junker K, van der Mescht L, Matthee S. Functional and phylogenetic uniqueness of helminth and flea assemblages of two South African rodents. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:865-876. [PMID: 33848500 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.02.003] [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: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The loss of a particular species from a community may have different effects on its functioning, depending on the presence or absence of functionally similar or phylogenetically close species in that community (redundancy). Redundancy is thus defined as the fraction of species diversity not expressed by functional or phylogenetic diversity. We assessed functional and phylogenetic alpha- and beta-redundancy in helminth and flea assemblages of two species of South African rodents, Rhabdomys dilectus and Rhabdomys pumilio, using community uniqueness as the inverse indicator of redundancy. We asked whether patterns of functional and phylogenetic alpha- and beta-uniqueness differed between (i) parasite groups (endo- versus ectoparasites), (ii) host species within parasite groups, and (iii) biomes within host species. We found differences between the two hosts in the functional and phylogenetic alpha-uniqueness (but not beta-uniqueness) of flea, but not helminth, assemblages. Significant correlations between the alpha-uniqueness of parasite assemblages and the total parasite prevalence were found only for phylogenetic uniqueness and only in helminths. Pairwise site-by-site dissimilarities in uniqueness (beta-uniqueness) and pairwise dissimilarity in prevalence were significantly associated (positively) in helminths but not in fleas. A between-biome difference in functional (but not phylogenetic) alpha-uniqueness was found in both helminth and flea assemblages harboured by R. pumilio. We conclude that the resilience of parasite assemblages in terms of the effect on hosts depends not only on their transmission strategy but also on traits of host species and environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris R Krasnov
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute of Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel.
| | - Andrea Spickett
- Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Kerstin Junker
- Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Luther van der Mescht
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Sonja Matthee
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
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8
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The Development of Anxiety and Exploration in Two Species of the African Striped Mouse Rhabdomys. Behav Genet 2021; 51:414-424. [PMID: 33768361 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-021-10054-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Genes and the environment interact to produce complex, environmentally relevant behaviors. We tested whether the behavior of two sister species of striped mice originating from different habitats (semi-arid Rhabdomys pumilio and grassland R. bechuanae) are modulated by the early social rearing environment. We cross-fostered pups between the species, and at adulthood tested their exploratory behavior and anxiety in open field and novel object tests, and a plus maze. We expected that the early social rearing environment would alter the phenotype of both species. Regardless of treatment, R. bechuanae were more exploratory and slightly less anxious than R. pumilio. However, fostered individuals of both species showed no changes in exploratory and anxiety responses. Thus there may be a genetic influence on behavioral development, or the early rearing environments of R. pumilio and R. bechuanae are not sufficiently different to alter behavior.
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9
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Ganem G, Dufour CMS, Avenant NL, Caminade P, Eiseb SJ, Tougard C, Pillay N. An update on the distribution and diversification of Rhabdomys sp. (Muridae, Rodentia). JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.25225/jvb.20013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guila Ganem
- ISEM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France; e-mail: ,,
| | | | - Nico L. Avenant
- Department of Mammalogy, National Museum and Centre for Environmental Management, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa; e-mail:
| | - Pierre Caminade
- ISEM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France; e-mail: ,,
| | - Seth J. Eiseb
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia; e-mail:
| | - Christelle Tougard
- ISEM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France; e-mail: ,,
| | - Neville Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits, South Africa; e-mail:
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10
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Biedma L, Calzada J, Godoy JA, Román J. Local habitat specialization as an evolutionary response to interspecific competition between two sympatric shrews. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Interspecific competition affects population dynamics, distributional ranges, and evolution of competing species. The competitive exclusion principle states that ecologically similar species cannot coexist unless they exhibit niche segregation. Herein, we assess whether niche segregation allows the coexistence of Crocidura russula and C. suaveolens in southwestern Iberia and whether segregation is the result of current (ecological effect) or past (evolutionary effect) competition. We performed an annual live-trapping cycle in the two main habitats of the Odiel Marshes Natural Reserve (OMNR), the tidal marsh and the Mediterranean forest, both in syntopic (i.e., where both species co-occur) and allotopic (where only one of the two species occurs) sites within this Reserve. We modeled the presence–absence of each species in both habitats and sites by generalized linear mixed models. The coexistence of both species was favored by spatial and temporal niche segregation. Crocidura suaveolens was restricted to tidal marsh and did not occupy Mediterranean forest, even when C. russula was absent. We interpret this to be the result of competition in the past triggering an evolutionary response in C. suaveolens towards its specialization in tidal marsh. Moreover, the specialist C. suaveolens currently is outcompeting C. russula in tidal marshes, reversing the dominance pattern observed elsewhere. The degree of co-occurrence between both species in syntopic sites was low, as they showed inverse dynamics of seasonal abundances. Interspecific competition leading to habitat specialization favors the coexistence of these ecologically similar species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Biedma
- Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - Javier Calzada
- Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - José A Godoy
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Jacinto Román
- Department of Conservation Biology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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11
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Tisell HB, Degrassi AL, Stephens RB, Rowe RJ. Influence of field technique, density, and sex on home range and overlap of the southern red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi). CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2018-0338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Home range is shaped by an individual’s interactions with the environment and conspecifics, and both size and placement may vary in response to population fluctuations. The method used to collect locational data may also affect home-range estimates. We examined the effect of density, sex, and field method on home range of southern red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi (Vigors, 1830)) inhabiting eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière) forests. Twelve mark–recapture grids were used to census M. gapperi from 2014 to 2017. In 2017, individuals were radio-collared. Home-range size, core-area size, and shared space were calculated using kernel density estimators from both mark–recapture and radiotelemetry data. Density effects on home range and core area were analyzed and differences between sex and field method were compared. We found (i) density did not affect home-range size, (ii) male home range was larger than female home range, (iii) females shared space more frequently and to a greater extent with males than other females, and (iv) home-range estimates were not significantly different between mark–recapture and radiotelemetry. Male home range, however, was larger under radiotelemetry and may reflect a truncation effect when mark–recapture grid size is smaller than male home range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honora B. Tisell
- University of New Hampshire, Natural Resources and the Environment, 114 James Hall, 56 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Allyson L. Degrassi
- Shenandoah University, Environment and Society Department, 1460 University Drive, Winchester, VA 22601, USA
| | - Ryan B. Stephens
- University of New Hampshire, Natural Resources and the Environment, 114 James Hall, 56 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Rebecca J. Rowe
- University of New Hampshire, Natural Resources and the Environment, 114 James Hall, 56 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
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12
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Spickett A, van der Mescht L, Junker K, Krasnov BR, Haukisalmi V, Matthee S. Beta diversity of gastrointestinal helminths in two closely related South African rodents: species and site contributions. Parasitol Res 2019; 118:2863-2875. [PMID: 31399870 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06411-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
A fundamental aim of parasite ecology is to understand the mechanisms behind spatial variation in diversity and structure of parasite assemblages. To understand the contribution of individual parasite species and their assemblages to spatial variation in parasite communities, we examined species contributions to beta diversity (SCBD) and local contributions to beta diversity (LCBD) of parasitic gastrointestinal helminths (nematodes and cestodes) in two closely related rodents, Rhabdomys dilectus and Rhabdomys pumilio, from 20 localities across South Africa. Although the two Rhabdomys spp. are morphologically similar, they differ substantially in body size, habitat preference, and sociality. We asked whether the variation in life history traits and infection parameters are associated with SCBD of helminths and whether variation in environmental factors, host population density, and species richness of host communities are associated with LCBD of component assemblages of helminths. We also considered spatial factors to test whether LCBD of helminth assemblages demonstrate geographic structure. We found that the contribution of helminth species parasitic in both hosts to beta diversity significantly increased with characteristic prevalence of these species, whereas mean abundance, type of life cycle, and location in the host's gut had no effect on SCBD. The LCBD of helminth assemblages showed a significant positive correlation with environmental factors in both host species. Our results suggest that predictors of variation in SCBD and LCBD may substantially differ between parasites with different infection parameters and/or parasite communities at different hierarchical scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Spickett
- Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.,Department of Conservation ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - Luther van der Mescht
- Department of Conservation ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.,Evolutionary Genomics Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa
| | - Kerstin Junker
- Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - Boris R Krasnov
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede-Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, 84990, Beersheba, Israel
| | | | - Sonja Matthee
- Department of Conservation ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
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Pahad G, Montgelard C, Jansen van Vuuren B. Phylogeography and niche modelling: reciprocal enlightenment. MAMMALIA 2019. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2018-0191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Phylogeography examines the spatial genetic structure of species. Environmental niche modelling (or ecological niche modelling; ENM) examines the environmental limits of a species’ ecological niche. These two fields have great potential to be used together. ENM can shed light on how phylogeographical patterns develop and help identify possible drivers of spatial structure that need to be further investigated. Specifically, ENM can be used to test for niche differentiation among clades, identify factors limiting individual clades and identify barriers and contact zones. It can also be used to test hypotheses regarding the effects of historical and future climate change on spatial genetic patterns by projecting niches using palaeoclimate or future climate data. Conversely, phylogeographical information can populate ENM with within-species genetic diversity. Where adaptive variation exists among clades within a species, modelling their niches separately can improve predictions of historical distribution patterns and future responses to climate change. Awareness of patterns of genetic diversity in niche modelling can also alert conservationists to the potential loss of genetically diverse areas in a species’ range. Here, we provide a simplistic overview of both fields, and focus on their potential for integration, encouraging researchers on both sides to take advantage of the opportunities available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Govan Pahad
- Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, Department of Zoology , University of Johannesburg , PO Box 524 , Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2000 , South Africa
| | - Claudine Montgelard
- Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, Department of Zoology , University of Johannesburg , PO Box 524 , Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2000 , South Africa
- PSL Research University, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier , EPHE, Biogéographie et Ecologie des Vertébrés , 1919 route de Mende , 34293 Montpellier , France
| | - Bettine Jansen van Vuuren
- Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, Department of Zoology , University of Johannesburg , PO Box 524 , Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2000 , South Africa
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Mackay MK, Pillay N. Anxiety and exploratory behavior in the African striped mouse, Rhabdomys, taxa are partially modified by the physical rearing environment. Dev Psychobiol 2018; 61:179-190. [PMID: 30552675 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The environment may modulate genetic influences on behavioral expression. We investigated whether the physical rearing environment modulates anxiety and exploratory behavior in four populations, representing three species, of the striped mouse Rhabdomys. One population originated from an arid, open habitat and the others from grassy, covered habitats, and two species occurred in sympatry. We raised captive individuals of all populations in treatments that simulated cover or no cover for two generations and investigated the behavior of resulting adults in an open-field, light-dark and startle response tests. We expected that, when raised without cover, the arid population would be less anxious and more exploratory than grassland populations, but found the opposite in the open-field test only. We also expected that all individuals would be anxious and less exploratory when raised under cover, which was the case for anxiety in a light-dark test, but individuals from the no cover treatment were more anxious in the open-field test. Only one population × treatment interaction was detected in which the arid population was least exploratory. Therefore, the physical rearing environment had less of an influence than phylogeny on the development of anxiety and exploration in Rhabdomys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan K Mackay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Neville Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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15
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Milleret C, Ordiz A, Chapron G, Andreassen HP, Kindberg J, Månsson J, Tallian A, Wabakken P, Wikenros C, Zimmermann B, Swenson JE, Sand H. Habitat segregation between brown bears and gray wolves in a human-dominated landscape. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11450-11466. [PMID: 30598748 PMCID: PMC6303696 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying how sympatric species belonging to the same guild coexist is a major question of community ecology and conservation. Habitat segregation between two species might help reduce the effects of interspecific competition and apex predators are of special interest in this context, because their interactions can have consequences for lower trophic levels. However, habitat segregation between sympatric large carnivores has seldom been studied. Based on monitoring of 53 brown bears (Ursus arctos) and seven sympatric adult gray wolves (Canis lupus) equipped with GPS collars in Sweden, we analyzed the degree of interspecific segregation in habitat selection within their home ranges in both late winter and spring, when their diets overlap the most. We used the K-select method, a multivariate approach that relies on the concept of ecological niche, and randomization methods to quantify habitat segregation between bears and wolves. Habitat segregation between bears and wolves was greater than expected by chance. Wolves tended to select for moose occurrence, young forests, and rugged terrain more than bears, which likely reflects the different requirements of an omnivore (bear) and an obligate carnivore (wolf). However, both species generally avoided human-related habitats during daytime. Disentangling the mechanisms that can drive interspecific interactions at different spatial scales is essential for understanding how sympatric large carnivores occur and coexist in human-dominated landscapes, and how coexistence may affect lower trophic levels. The individual variation in habitat selection detected in our study may be a relevant mechanism to overcome intraguild competition and facilitate coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Milleret
- Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural SciencesInland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Andrés Ordiz
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Guillaume Chapron
- Grimsӧ Wildlife Research StationDepartment of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesRiddarhyttanSweden
| | - Harry Peter Andreassen
- Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural SciencesInland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
| | - Jonas Kindberg
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
- Norwegian Institute for Nature ResearchTrondheimNorway
| | - Johan Månsson
- Grimsӧ Wildlife Research StationDepartment of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesRiddarhyttanSweden
| | - Aimee Tallian
- Grimsӧ Wildlife Research StationDepartment of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesRiddarhyttanSweden
- Department of Wildland Resources & Ecology CenterUtah State UniversityLoganUtah
| | - Petter Wabakken
- Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural SciencesInland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
| | - Camilla Wikenros
- Grimsӧ Wildlife Research StationDepartment of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesRiddarhyttanSweden
| | - Barbara Zimmermann
- Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural SciencesInland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
| | - Jon E. Swenson
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature ResearchTrondheimNorway
| | - Håkan Sand
- Grimsӧ Wildlife Research StationDepartment of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesRiddarhyttanSweden
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16
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Dufour CMS, Pillay N, Avenant N, Watson J, Loire E, Ganem G. Habitat characteristics and species interference influence space use and nest‐site occupancy: implications for social variation in two sister species. OIKOS 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.05357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claire M. S. Dufour
- ISEM, CNRS, Univ. of Montpellier, IRD, EPHE Montpellier France
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Science, Univ. of the Witwatersrand Wits South Africa
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Dept of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard Univ Cambridge MA USA
| | - Neville Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Science, Univ. of the Witwatersrand Wits South Africa
| | - Nico Avenant
- Dept of Mammalogy, National Museum, and Centre for Environmental Management, Univ. of the Free State Bloemfontein South Africa
| | - Johan Watson
- Dept of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Biodiversity Research Bloemfontein South Africa
| | - Etienne Loire
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), UMR, CMAEE, C2B Montpellier France
| | - Guila Ganem
- ISEM, CNRS, Univ. of Montpellier, IRD, EPHE Montpellier France
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Science, Univ. of the Witwatersrand Wits South Africa
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17
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Kong D, Luo W, Liu Q, Li Z, Huan G, Zhang J, Yang X. Habitat use, preference, and utilization distribution of two crane species (Genus: Grus) in Huize National Nature Reserve, Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, China. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5105. [PMID: 30042879 PMCID: PMC6054782 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the habitat use and spatial distribution of wildlife can help conservationists determine high-priority areas and enhance conservation efforts. We studied the wintering habitat use, preference, and utilization distribution of two crane species, that is, the black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis, Przevalski, 1876) and common crane (Grus grus, Linnaeus, 1758), in Huize National Natural Reserve, Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, southwestern China. Line transects indicated that anthropogenic farmland habitat was highly utilized and was positively selected by both crane species (>90% of flocks observed for both species). Black-necked cranes preferred marshland in spring (February and March) but avoided grassland during the entire wintering period, whereas common cranes avoided both marshland and grassland throughout the entire period. The two cranes species had communal nightly roosting sites and separate daily foraging sites. Black-necked cranes were distributed within two km (1.89 ± 0.08 km) of the roosting site, covering an area of 283.84 ha, with the core distribution area encompassing less than 100 ha. In contrast, common cranes were distributed far from the roosting site (4.38 ± 0.11 km), covering an area of 558.73 ha, with the core distribution area encompassing 224.81 ha. Thus, interspecies competition may have influenced the habitat preference and spatial distribution divergence of these two phylogenetically related species. This study should help guide habitat management as well as functional zoning development and adjustment in the future. Based on our results, we recommend restoration of additional wetlands, retention of large areas of farmland, and protection of areas that cranes use most frequently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejun Kong
- Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Key Laboratory of Special Biological Resource Development and Utilization of Universities in Yunnan Province, Kunming University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Weixiong Luo
- Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- College of Wetland, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhuoqing Li
- Yunnan Institute of Environmental Science, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Guoyue Huan
- Administrative Bureau, National Nature Reserve of Black-Necked Cranes in Huize, Huize, Yunnan, China
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- Administrative Bureau, National Nature Reserve of Black-Necked Cranes in Huize, Huize, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiaojun Yang
- Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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18
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Reif J, Reifová R, Skoracka A, Kuczyński L. Competition-driven niche segregation on a landscape scale: Evidence for escaping from syntopy towards allotopy in two coexisting sibling passerine species. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:774-789. [PMID: 29430650 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The role of interspecific competition for generating patterns in species' distribution is hotly debated and studies taking into account processes occurring at both large and small spatial scales are almost missing. Theoretically, competition between species with overlapping niches should result in divergence of their niches in sympatry to reduce the costs of competition. Many species show a mosaic distribution within sympatric zones, with the syntopic sites occupied by both species, and allotopic sites where only one species occurs. It is unclear whether such mosaics arise as a consequence of competition-driven niche segregation or due to the decline of their abundances towards range edges driven by environmental gradients. If the interspecific competition matters, we should observe (1) a shift in habitat preferences of one or both species between syntopy and allotopy, and (2) between allopatry and allotopy. Moreover, (3) species should show greater divergence in their habitat preferences in allotopy than in allopatry where (4) no differences in habitat preferences may occur. Finally, (5) shifts should be generally greater in the competitively subordinate species than in the dominant species. We used a unique dataset on abundance of two closely related passerine species, the Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and the Thrush Nightingale (Luscinia luscinia), collected across their syntopy, allotopy and allopatry. The predictions were tested within a generalized mixed-effects modelling framework. After accounting for environmental gradients perpendicular to the species' contact zone, we found a strong support for all but one prediction. Habitat preferences of both species shifted markedly between syntopy and allotopy, as well as between allopatry and allotopy. Whereas the species preferred the same habitats in allopatry, their preferences became strikingly different in allotopy where the abundance of the Common Nightingale increased towards dry and warm sites with low coverage of pastures, while the abundance of the Thrush Nightingale showed exactly opposite trends. Fifth prediction was not supported. Our results indicate that the competition between closely related species can result in considerable changes in habitat use across their geographic ranges accompanied with divergence in their habitat preferences in sympatry. Here, the species "escape" from competition to allotopic sites covered by habitats avoided by the competitor. Therefore, we argue that the interspecific competition is an important driver of species' distribution at both large and small spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Reif
- Faculty of Science, Institute for Environmental Studies, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Radka Reifová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Skoracka
- Population Ecology Lab, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań, Poland
| | - Lechosław Kuczyński
- Population Ecology Lab, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań, Poland
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19
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Lipshutz SE. Interspecific competition, hybridization, and reproductive isolation in secondary contact: missing perspectives on males and females. Curr Zool 2018; 64:75-88. [PMID: 29492041 PMCID: PMC5809030 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zox060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on sexual selection and hybridization has focused on female mate choice and male-male competition. While the evolutionary outcomes of interspecific female preference have been well explored, we are now gaining a better understanding of the processes by which male-male competition between species in secondary contact promotes reproductive isolation versus hybridization. What is relatively unexplored is the interaction between female choice and male competition, as they can oppose one another or align with similar outcomes for reproductive isolation. The role of female-female competition in hybridization is also not well understood, but could operate similarly to male-male competition in polyandrous and other systems where costs to heterospecific mating are low for females. Reproductive competition between either sex of sympatric species can cause the divergence and/or convergence of sexual signals and recognition, which in turn influences the likelihood for interspecific mating. Future work on species interactions in secondary contact should test the relative influences of both mate choice and competition for mates on hybridization outcomes, and should not ignore the possibilities that females can compete over mating resources, and males can exercise mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Lipshutz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Division of Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
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20
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Helminth parasitism in two closely related South African rodents: abundance, prevalence, species richness and impinging factors. Parasitol Res 2017; 116:1395-1409. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5419-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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21
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Mackay M, Pillay N. Similarities in spatial cognition in sister species of the striped mouse Rhabdomys originating from different ecological contexts. BEHAVIOUR 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Variation in spatial cognition is correlated with differences in the environments where animals originate, such that different environments might select for different cognitive ability. We investigated whether three sister species of the striped mouse genus Rhabdomys differed in their spatial cognition. The species originated from three locations across a rainfall gradient in southern Africa, which vary in habitat complexity. We tested individuals in a modified Barnes maze and asked whether the species had different spatial memory and navigation and whether these differences were related to their geographic location. We showed that the species had similar spatial memory and cue use, differing only when external cues were initially removed and during the first probe test of spatial memory. The similarities suggest that the environment of origin is not associated with spatial cognition in Rhabdomys, and that spatial cognition is phylogenetically constrained or there might be similar selection pressures across the distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.K. Mackay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - N. Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
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22
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Engelbrecht A, Matthee S, du Toit N, Matthee CA. Limited dispersal in an ectoparasitic mite,Laelaps giganteus, contributes to significant phylogeographic congruence with the rodent host,Rhabdomys. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:1006-21. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adriaan Engelbrecht
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology; Stellenbosch University; Private Bag X1 Matieland 7602 South Africa
- Evolutionary Genomics Group; Department of Botany and Zoology; Stellenbosch University; Private Bag X1 Matieland 7602 South Africa
| | - Sonja Matthee
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology; Stellenbosch University; Private Bag X1 Matieland 7602 South Africa
| | - Nina du Toit
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology; Stellenbosch University; Private Bag X1 Matieland 7602 South Africa
- Evolutionary Genomics Group; Department of Botany and Zoology; Stellenbosch University; Private Bag X1 Matieland 7602 South Africa
| | - Conrad A. Matthee
- Evolutionary Genomics Group; Department of Botany and Zoology; Stellenbosch University; Private Bag X1 Matieland 7602 South Africa
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