1
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Beukeboom R, Benhaïm D. How to measure exploration: A combined estimation method. Behav Processes 2024; 216:104998. [PMID: 38336237 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2024.104998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The personality axis 'exploration-avoidance' is often measured using an open field test (OFT) from which measurements such as mobility level (e.g. distance travelled) and space use (e.g. area covered) in an unknown environment are extracted. Recently developed tracking software surprisingly includes only a measure of mobility level in their output summary. Consequently, recent articles using these software programs started to ignore a measure of space use in their determination of exploration. In this short communication, we show briefly why it is important to not overlook a measure of space use, provide an easy way to calculate such a measure, with adjustable resolution, from the available position data provided by the software and a method to determine a proxy for exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanne Beukeboom
- University of Iceland, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Reykjavik, Iceland; Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology, Hólar University, Sauðárkrókur, Iceland.
| | - David Benhaïm
- Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology, Hólar University, Sauðárkrókur, Iceland
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2
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Natta G, Laini A, Roggero A, Fabbriciani F, Rolando A, Palestrini C. Behavioural Repeatability and Behavioural Syndrome in the Dung Beetle Copris umbilicatus (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). INSECTS 2023; 14:529. [PMID: 37367344 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Although personality studies have primarily focused on vertebrates, the evidence showing invertebrates to be capable of displaying personalities has been steadily growing in recent years. In this study, we investigated the behavioural repeatability (repetition of a behaviour over time) and behavioural syndromes (a set of correlated behaviours) in Copris umbilicatus, which is a dung beetle species showing complex sub-social behaviour. We analysed three behaviours (activity, thanatosis and distress call emission) by measuring seven distinct behavioural traits (i.e., three activity-, one thanatosis- and three distress call-related traits). We found moderate to high levels of individual repeatability in all behavioural traits considered. The duration of thanatosis was inversely correlated with two activity traits, hinting a behavioural syndrome for thanatosis and activity, with bolder individuals exhibiting shorter thanatosis and higher locomotor activity in contrast with fearful individuals, which display longer thanatosis and poor locomotor activity. No relationships were found between the behavioural traits and body size or sex. Results of the principal component analysis (PCA) suggested personality differences among individuals. Dung beetles provide an impressive variety of ecosystem services. Since the provision of these services may depend on the personalities represented in local populations and communities, studies on the ecology of personality in dung beetles should be encouraged in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Natta
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Alex Laini
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Angela Roggero
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Rolando
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Claudia Palestrini
- Department of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
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3
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Jacquier L, Molet M, Doums C. Urban colonies are less aggressive but forage more than their forest counterparts in the ant Temnothorax nylanderi. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2023]
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4
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Kerman K, Roggero A, Rolando A, Palestrini C. Sexual horn dimorphism predicts the expression of active personality trait: males perform better only in the sexually horn dimorphic Onthophagus dung beetle. J ETHOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-023-00782-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
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5
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Horváth G, Kerekes K, Nyitrai V, Balázs G, Berisha H, Herczeg G. Exploratory behaviour divergence between surface populations, cave colonists and a cave population in the water louse, Asellus aquaticus. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03288-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Behaviour is considered among the most important factors in colonising new
habitats. While population divergence in behaviour is well-documented, intraspecific
variation in exploratory behaviour in species with populations successfully colonising and
adapting to extreme (compared to the ‘typical’) habitats is less understood. Here, by studying
surface- vs. cave-adapted populations of water louse (Asellus aquaticus), we tested whether (i)
adaptation to the special, ecologically isolated cave habitat includes a decrease in
explorativeness and (ii) recent, surface-type cave colonists are more explorative than their
surface conspecifics from the source population. We repeatedly tested dispersal related novel
area exploration and dispersal speed in both the presence and absence of light. We found that
surface populations showed higher behavioural activity in dark than in light, and they were
more explorative and dispersed faster than their cave conspecifics. Recent colonists showed a
trend of higher dispersal speed compared to their source surface population. We suggest that
extreme and isolated habitats like caves might work as ‘dispersal traps’ following successful
colonisation, because adaptation to these habitats includes the reduction of explorativeness.
Furthermore, we suggest that individuals with higher explorativeness are likely to
colonise markedly new environments. Finally, we provide experimental evidence about
surface A. aquaticus moving more in dark than in light.
Significance statement
Environmental conditions in caves are differing drastically from those of the surface. Consequently, animals colonising subterranean habitats are subject to different selective forces than those experienced by the ancestral surface-living population. Behaviour is believed to be a key factor in successful colonisation to novel habitats; however, intraspecific behavioural variation in species with both surface- and cave-adapted populations is less known. Here, we compared dispersal related novel area exploration and dispersal speed across surface and cave-adapted populations of the freshwater crustacean Asellus aquaticus. Our results show that cave-adapted A. aquaticus are significantly less explorative and disperse slower than surface-type populations, indicating that caves may act as ‘dispersal traps’, where adaptation includes the loss of explorativeness. Also, recent cave colonists show a trend to be faster dispersers than peers from the surface source population, suggesting that individuals with higher explorativeness are likely to colonise markedly different new environments.
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6
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Rech F, Narimanov N, Bauer T, Schirmel J. Urbanization increases fluctuating asymmetry and affects behavioral traits of a common grasshopper. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9658. [PMID: 36568863 PMCID: PMC9772494 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9658] [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] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization has a major impact on biodiversity. For many organisms, the urbanization process means environmental stress caused by fragmentation and increased temperatures in cities and atmospheric, soil, light, and noise pollution. Such environmental stress can influence both the morphology and behavior of animals. Hence, individuals might be selected for survival-facilitating traits under high pressures in urban areas. The specific impact of urbanization on insect behavior is still largely unexplored. We studied the impact of urbanization on one of the most common grasshopper species in Germany, Chorthippus biguttulus, by comparing morphological and behavioral traits of individuals sampled from grasslands with low, medium, and high urbanization levels. We first investigated whether urbanization as a stressor affected body size and fluctuating asymmetry in the locomotor organs. Next, we examined whether urbanization induced changes in the individuals' boldness and activity. Our results showed that fluctuating asymmetry of grasshoppers' locomotory organs increased more than twofold with urbanization level. Further, individuals' boldness and walking activity increased from areas with low to high urbanization levels. Our results indicate strong responses of grasshoppers in terms of morphology and behavior to the urban environment. To compensate for urbanization effects on arthropod populations, management strategies need to be developed that maintain ecological processes and reduce environmental stress in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Rech
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental SciencesUniversity of Koblenz‐LandauLandauGermany,Faculty of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Nijat Narimanov
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental SciencesUniversity of Koblenz‐LandauLandauGermany,Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE)Johannes Gutenberg UniversityMainzGermany
| | - Tobias Bauer
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental SciencesUniversity of Koblenz‐LandauLandauGermany,State Museum of Natural History KarlsruheKarlsruheGermany
| | - Jens Schirmel
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental SciencesUniversity of Koblenz‐LandauLandauGermany
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7
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Magura T, Horváth R, Mizser S, Tóth M, Nagy DD, Csicsek R, Balla E, Lövei GL. Urban Individuals of Three Rove Beetle Species Are Not More Exploratory or Risk-Taking Than Rural Conspecifics. INSECTS 2022; 13:757. [PMID: 36005382 PMCID: PMC9409932 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization is creating changes in environmental and habitat conditions, as well as creating disturbance and threats to urban-associated species. Some traits, such as high exploratory and risk-taking behavior, are beneficial to allow colonization of urban habitats and coping with urbanization-derived pressures. In this study the exploratory and risk-taking behavior of rural and urban individuals of three forest-associated rove beetle species were tested during their main reproductive period by five frequently used behavioral measures. Individuals of all studied species were similarly ranked by all behavioral measures, indicating that the studied rove beetles responded consistently in the different contexts. However, the behavior of beetles was consistent over time for all/most studied species only by using two measures of exploratory behavior. These provide evidence for the existence of the exploratory dimension of personality in rove beetles. We found a higher exploratory behavior in males than females in Ocypus nitens which can be explained by the active searching of males for mating partners. There were no urbanization-related differences in the exploratory behavior of individuals, suggesting that behavioral changes (being more exploratory) may not yield additional fitness benefits in these rove beetle species with good dispersal capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor Magura
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- ELKH-DE Anthropocene Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Roland Horváth
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- ELKH-DE Anthropocene Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Szabolcs Mizser
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Mária Tóth
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- ELKH-DE Anthropocene Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Dávid D. Nagy
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Réka Csicsek
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Emőke Balla
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gábor L. Lövei
- ELKH-DE Anthropocene Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Agroecology, Research Centre Flakkebjerg, Aarhus University, DK-4200 Slagelse, Denmark
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8
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Aleksanov V, Alekseev S, Shashkov M. Ground beetles (Carabidae) in urban habitats of Kaluga City (Russia). Biodivers Data J 2022; 10:e76100. [PMID: 35095297 PMCID: PMC8791924 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.10.e76100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ground beetles (Carabidae, Coleoptera) are one of the most species-rich and well-studied insect families. However, the number of published datasets is disproportionately low against the biodiversity of this group. According to GBIF, only a fifth of the percentage of all published data covers ground beetles. This article describes a sampling-event dataset providing primary data on ground beetles collected in urban and suburban habitats in Kaluga, a typical central Russian city. We surveyed habitats of different land-use types and the extent and intensity of anthropogenic influence: yards, gardens, quarries, small urban woodlands, grasslands and riparian habitats. Carabids were collected by pitfall traps during most of the vegetative season (mostly from late April - early May to at least early October) for 13 seasons between 1994 and 2015. In total, the dataset contains 189 carabid species and 79,091 specimens. The dataset provides information about species composition and abundance, habitat distribution, seasonal and long-term dynamics of carabid beetles in environments of different degrees of urbanisation. New information This dataset is the first sampling-event dataset about carabids in various urban habitats published through GBIF.
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9
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Yarwood E, Drees C, Niven JE, Schuett W. Sex-specific covariance between metabolic rate, behaviour and morphology in the ground beetle Carabus hortensis. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12455. [PMID: 35003913 PMCID: PMC8684319 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals within the same species often differ in their metabolic rates, which may covary with behavioural traits (such as exploration), that are consistent across time and/or contexts, and morphological traits. Yet, despite the frequent occurrence of sexual dimorphisms in morphology and behaviour, few studies have assessed whether and how sexes differ in metabolic trait covariances. METHODS We investigated sex-specific relationships among resting or active metabolic rate (RMR and AMR, respectively) with exploratory behaviour, measured independently of metabolic rate in a novel environment, body size and body mass, in Carabus hortensis ground beetles. RESULTS RMR, AMR and exploratory behaviour were repeatable among individuals across time, except for male RMR which was unrepeatable. Female RMR neither correlated with exploratory behaviour nor body size/body mass. In contrast, AMR was correlated with both body size and exploratory behaviour. Males with larger body sizes had higher AMR, whereas females with larger body sizes had lower AMR. Both male and female AMR were significantly related to exploratory behaviour, though the relationships between AMR and exploration were body mass-dependent in males and temperature-dependent in females. DISCUSSION Differences between sexes exist in the covariances between metabolic rate, body size and exploratory behaviour. This suggests that selection acts differently on males and females to produce these trait covariances with potentially important consequences for individual fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Yarwood
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom
| | - Claudia Drees
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom
- Institute of Zoology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jeremy E. Niven
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom
| | - Wiebke Schuett
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom
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10
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Harrison LM, Noble DWA, Jennions MD. A meta-analysis of sex differences in animal personality: no evidence for the greater male variability hypothesis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:679-707. [PMID: 34908228 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The notion that men are more variable than women has become embedded into scientific thinking. For mental traits like personality, greater male variability has been partly attributed to biology, underpinned by claims that there is generally greater variation among males than females in non-human animals due to stronger sexual selection on males. However, evidence for greater male variability is limited to morphological traits, and there is little information regarding sex differences in personality-like behaviours for non-human animals. Here, we meta-analysed sex differences in means and variances for over 2100 effects (204 studies) from 220 species (covering five broad taxonomic groups) across five personality traits: boldness, aggression, activity, sociality and exploration. We also tested if sexual size dimorphism, a proxy for sex-specific sexual selection, explains variation in the magnitude of sex differences in personality. We found no significant differences in personality between the sexes. In addition, sexual size dimorphism did not explain variation in the magnitude of the observed sex differences in the mean or variance in personality for any taxonomic group. In sum, we find no evidence for widespread sex differences in variability in non-human animal personality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Harrison
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
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11
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Harten L, Gonceer N, Handel M, Dash O, Fokidis HB, Yovel Y. Urban bat pups take after their mothers and are bolder and faster learners than rural pups. BMC Biol 2021; 19:190. [PMID: 34493290 PMCID: PMC8422611 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01131-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urbanization is rapidly changing our planet and animals that live in urban environments must quickly adjust their behavior. One of the most prevalent behavioral characteristics of urban dwelling animals is an increased level of risk-taking. Here, we aimed to reveal how urban fruitbats become risk-takers, and how they differ behaviorally from rural bats, studying both genetic and non-genetic factors that might play a role in the process. We assessed the personality of newborn pups from both rural and urban colonies before they acquired experience outdoors, examining risk-taking, exploration, and learning rates. RESULTS Urban pups exhibited significantly higher risk-taking levels, they were faster learners, but less exploratory than their rural counterparts. A cross-fostering experiment revealed that pups were more similar to their adoptive mothers, thus suggesting a non-genetic mechanism and pointing towards a maternal effect. We moreover found that lactating urban mothers have higher cortisol levels in their milk, which could potentially explain the transmission of some personality traits from mother to pup. CONCLUSIONS Young bats seem to acquire environment suitable traits via post-birth non-genetic maternal effects. We offer a potential mechanism for how urban pups can acquire urban-suitable behavioral traits through hormonal transfer from their mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee Harten
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nesim Gonceer
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Michal Handel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Orit Dash
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - H Bobby Fokidis
- Department of Biology, Rollins College, P.O. Box 874601, Winter Park, Florida, 32708, USA
| | - Yossi Yovel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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12
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Baxter-Gilbert J, Riley JL, Measey J. Fortune favors the bold toad: urban-derived behavioral traits may provide advantages for invasive amphibian populations. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03061-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
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13
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Yarwood E, Drees C, Niven JE, Gawel M, Schuett W. Sex differences in morphology across an expanding range edge in the flightless ground beetle, Carabus hortensis. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:9949-9957. [PMID: 34367551 PMCID: PMC8328432 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Species' ranges are dynamic, changing through range shifts, contractions, and expansions. Individuals at the edge of a species' shifting range often possess morphological traits that increase movement capacity, that are not observed in individuals farther back within the species' range. Although morphological traits that increase in proportion toward the range edge may differ between the sexes, such sex differences are rarely studied.Here, we test the hypotheses that body size and condition increase with proximity to an expanding range edge in the flightless ground beetle, Carabus hortensis, and that these trait changes differ between the sexes.Male, but not female, body size increased with proximity to the range edge. Body size was positively correlated with male front and mid tibia length and to female hind tibia length, indicating that body size is indicative of movement capacity in both sexes. Body condition (relative to body size) decreased with increasing population density in males but not females. Population density was lowest at the range edge.Our results indicate that sex is an important factor influencing patterns in trait distribution across species' ranges, and future studies should investigate changes in morphological traits across expanding range margins separately for males and females. We discuss the implications for sex differences in resource allocation and reproductive rates for trait differentiation across species' shifting ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia Drees
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of SussexFalmerEast SussexUK
- Institute of ZoologyUniversität HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Jeremy E. Niven
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of SussexFalmerEast SussexUK
| | - Marisa Gawel
- Institute of ZoologyUniversität HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Wiebke Schuett
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of SussexFalmerEast SussexUK
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Magura T, Mizser S, Horváth R, Nagy DD, Tóth M, Csicsek R, Lövei GL. Are There Personality Differences between Rural vs. Urban-Living Individuals of a Specialist Ground Beetle, Carabus convexus? INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12070646. [PMID: 34357306 PMCID: PMC8304727 DOI: 10.3390/insects12070646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Urbanization causes substantial changes in environmental and habitat conditions. These, as well as more frequent disturbance events accompanying urbanization constitute selective forces acting on various reactions of urban-associated species, including behavior. In this study, rural and urban individuals of a forest specialist ground beetle, Carabus convexus were tested for their exploratory and risk-taking behavior. Beetles responded consistently in the different contexts, and also over time, demonstrating that they had personalities. Carabus convexus is the second ground beetle species in which the existence of personality was demonstrated. By agglomerative cluster analysis, we identified two groups of behavioral traits: the exploratory and the risk-taking dimensions of personality. Urban females were significantly more exploratory than urban males which can be an adaptation to find high quality food needed to mature eggs, as well as to find favorable microsites for oviposition. Moreover, urban females and males showed higher level of risk-taking behavior than rural females. Urban beetles with higher risk-taking behavior may be better able to cope with new conditions created by frequent urbanization-driven disturbance events. Abstract The world-wide, rapid urbanization is leading to substantial changes in environmental and habitat conditions. These changes, as well as disturbances accompanying urbanization have considerable effects at various levels of the biological organization on wildlife. Understanding behavioral responses to such changes is essential for identifying which organisms may successfully adapt to the altered conditions. In this study, individuals of a forest specialist ground beetle, Carabus convexus, from rural and urban forest patches were tested for their exploratory and risk-taking behavior. Beetles responded consistently in the different contexts; furthermore, by behaving consistently over time, demonstrated that they had personalities. Agglomerative cluster analysis identified two groups of behavioral traits: the exploratory and the risk-taking dimension of personality. Urban females were significantly more exploratory than urban males which can be an adaptation to find high quality food needed to mature eggs in urban habitats, as well as to select favorable microsites for oviposition. Moreover, urban females and males showed more risk-taking behavior than rural females. Urban beetles with more risk-taking behavior may be better able to cope with frequent urbanization-driven disturbance events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor Magura
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.M.); (S.M.); (R.H.); (D.D.N.); (M.T.); (R.C.)
| | - Szabolcs Mizser
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.M.); (S.M.); (R.H.); (D.D.N.); (M.T.); (R.C.)
| | - Roland Horváth
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.M.); (S.M.); (R.H.); (D.D.N.); (M.T.); (R.C.)
| | - Dávid D. Nagy
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.M.); (S.M.); (R.H.); (D.D.N.); (M.T.); (R.C.)
| | - Mária Tóth
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.M.); (S.M.); (R.H.); (D.D.N.); (M.T.); (R.C.)
| | - Réka Csicsek
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.M.); (S.M.); (R.H.); (D.D.N.); (M.T.); (R.C.)
| | - Gábor L. Lövei
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Flakkebjerg Research Center, DK-4200 Slagelse, Denmark
- Correspondence:
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Yang S, Zhang T, Li Y, Xu S, Zhang M, Hu X, Liu S, Hu D, Wronski T. Identifying personality traits and their potential application to the management of captive forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Harris C, Liedtke J, Drees C, Schuett W. Exploratory behaviour is not related to associative learning ability in the carabid beetle Nebria brevicollis. Behav Processes 2020; 180:104224. [PMID: 32828809 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Recently, it has been hypothesised that as learning performance and animal personality vary along a common axis of fast and slow types, natural selection may act on both in parallel leading to a correlation between learning and personality traits. We examined the relationship between risk-taking, exploratory behaviour and associative learning ability in carabid beetle Nebria brevicollis females by quantifying the number of trials individuals required to reach criterion during an associative learning task ('learning performance'). The associative learning task required the females to associate odour and direction with refugia from light and heat in a T-maze. Further, we assessed learning performance in a reversal task by quantifying the number of correct trials when the reinforcement was switched to previously unrewarding stimuli. We found that N. brevicollis females can associate conditional stimuli with a reward. No female was able to reverse the learned association within the number of trials given, however individuals differed in the number of correct trials in the reversal phase. Contrary to previous predictions neither exploratory behaviour, which was repeatable, nor risk-taking were correlated with learning performance. Our results suggest that the relationship between learning and personality may not take a common form across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciaran Harris
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, United Kingdom
| | - Jannis Liedtke
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, PO Box 35, 40014, Finland
| | - Claudia Drees
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, United Kingdom; Institute of Zoology, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Wiebke Schuett
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, United Kingdom.
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Kaiser A, Merckx T, Van Dyck H. An experimental test of changed personality in butterflies from anthropogenic landscapes. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02871-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Kaiser A, Merckx T, Van Dyck H. Behavioural repeatability is affected by early developmental conditions in a butterfly. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Urbanisation and sex affect the consistency of butterfly personality across metamorphosis. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2616-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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