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Alves Soares T, Caspers BA, Loos HM. Volatile organic compounds in preen oil and feathers - a review. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1085-1099. [PMID: 38303487 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
For a long time birds were assumed to be anosmic or at best microsmatic, with olfaction a poorly understood and seldom investigated part of avian physiology. The full viability of avian olfaction was first discovered through its functions in navigation and foraging. Subsequently, researchers have investigated the role of olfaction in different social and non-social contexts, including reproduction, kin recognition, predator avoidance, navigation and foraging. In parallel to the recognition of the importance of olfaction for avian social behaviour, there have been advances in the techniques and methods available for the sampling and analysis of trace volatiles and odourants, leading to insights into the chemistry underlying chemical communication in birds. This review provides (i) an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the volatile chemical composition of preen oil and feathers, its phylogenetic coverage, chemical signatures and their potential functions, and (ii) a discussion of current methods used for the isolation and detection of volatiles. Finally, lines for future research are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Alves Soares
- Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Henkestraße 9, Erlangen, 91054, Germany
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany
- Joint Institute for Individualisation in a Changing Environment (JICE), University of Münster and Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Helene M Loos
- Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Henkestraße 9, Erlangen, 91054, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Giggenhauser Straße 35, Freising, 85354, Germany
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Schulte L, Faul C, Oswald P, Preißler K, Steinfartz S, Veith M, Caspers BA. Performance of different automatic photographic identification software for larvae and adults of the European fire salamander. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298285. [PMID: 38573887 PMCID: PMC10994360 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
For many species, population sizes are unknown despite their importance for conservation. For population size estimation, capture-mark-recapture (CMR) studies are often used, which include the necessity to identify each individual, mostly through individual markings or genetic characters. Invasive marking techniques, however, can negatively affect the individual fitness. Alternatives are low-impact techniques such as the use of photos for individual identification, for species with stable distinctive phenotypic traits. For the individual identification of photos, a variety of different software, with different requirements, is available. The European fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is a species in which individuals, both at the larval stage and as adults, have individual specific patterns that allow for individual identification. In this study, we compared the performance of five different software for the use of photographic identification for the European fire salamander: Amphibian & Reptile Wildbook (ARW), AmphIdent, I3S pattern+, ManderMatcher and Wild-ID. While adults can be identified by all five software, European fire salamander larvae can currently only be identified by two of the five (ARW and Wild-ID). We used one dataset of European fire salamander larval pictures taken in the laboratory and tested this dataset in two of the five software (ARW and Wild-ID). We used another dataset of European fire salamander adult pictures taken in the field and tested this using all five software. We compared the requirements of all software on the pictures used and calculated the False Rejection Rate (FRR) and the Recognition Rate (RR). For the larval dataset (421 pictures) we found that the ARW and Wild-ID performed equally well for individual identification (99.6% and 100% Recognition Rate, respectively). For the adult dataset (377 pictures), we found the best False Rejection Rate in ManderMatcher and the highest Recognition Rate in the ARW. Additionally, the ARW is the only program that requires no image pre-processing. In times of amphibian declines, non-invasive photo identification software allowing capture-mark-recapture studies help to gain knowledge on population sizes, distribution, movement and demography of a population and can thus help to support species conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schulte
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Charlotte Faul
- Biogeography, Trier University, Universitätsring, Trier, Germany
| | - Pia Oswald
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Kathleen Preißler
- Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, Leipzig University, Talstraße, Leipzig
| | - Sebastian Steinfartz
- Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, Leipzig University, Talstraße, Leipzig
| | - Michael Veith
- Biogeography, Trier University, Universitätsring, Trier, Germany
| | - Barbara A. Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz, Bielefeld, Germany
- JICE, Joint Institute for Individualisation in a Changing Environment, University of Münster and Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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Schulte L, Oswald P, Mühlenhaupt M, Ossendorf E, Kruse S, Kaiser S, Caspers BA. Stress response of fire salamander larvae differs between habitat types. R Soc Open Sci 2024; 11:231304. [PMID: 38577214 PMCID: PMC10987980 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
The larvae of the European fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) can inhabit two different habitats: streams and ponds. Streams are characterized by lower predation risks and higher food availability. Thus, ponds are considered a less suitable habitat. To investigate the differential impacts of these two habitats on larval physiology, we measured the stress response of larvae. After successfully validating the measure of water-borne corticosterone release rates in fire salamander larvae, we measured the baseline and stress-induced corticosterone of 64 larvae from ponds and streams in the field. We found that larvae in ponds have a higher baseline and stress-induced corticosterone levels. Additionally, we performed a reciprocal transplant experiment (RTE) and tested whether larvae can adapt their stress responses to changing habitats. After two weeks, we did not find an increase in corticosterone levels when comparing stress-induced corticosterone values with baseline corticosterone values in larvae transferred into ponds, irrespective of their habitat of origin. However, larvae transferred into streams still exhibited an increase in the stress-induced corticosterone response in comparison with the baseline values. These results show that non-invasive hormone measurements can provide information on the habitat quality and potential adaptation and thus emphasize the potential for its use in conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schulte
- Behavioural Ecology Department, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld33615, Germany
| | - Pia Oswald
- Behavioural Ecology Department, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld33615, Germany
| | - Max Mühlenhaupt
- Behavioural Ecology Department, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld33615, Germany
| | - Edith Ossendorf
- Institute for Neuro- and Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster48149, Germany
| | - Sabine Kruse
- Institute for Neuro- and Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster48149, Germany
| | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Institute for Neuro- and Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster48149, Germany
- Joint Institute for Individualisation in a Changing Environment (JICE), University of Münster and Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Barbara A. Caspers
- Behavioural Ecology Department, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld33615, Germany
- Joint Institute for Individualisation in a Changing Environment (JICE), University of Münster and Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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Schulte L, Caspers BA. Tonic immobility behaviour does not differ between fire salamander larvae from ponds and streams. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11211. [PMID: 38571785 PMCID: PMC10985366 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Tonic immobility is an antipredator defence in which the prey animal remains motionless after physical contact with the predator, pretending to be dead. This behaviour has been observed among a variety of taxa but has received only little attention in amphibian larvae. During our field studies with fire salamander larvae, we observed that larvae from different habitats display tonic immobility after handling. In our study site, we find larvae in pond and stream habitats, that differ in several aspects such as their stress response and their risk-taking behaviour, likely caused by the very different habitat conditions. We measured the time that the tonic immobility behaviour was displayed but found no difference between larvae from the two habitat types. Likewise, we also found no correlation between the size of the larvae and the duration of displaying the behaviour. In conclusion, we found that fire salamander larvae show tonic immobility, but found no evidence that the different habitat conditions influence the tonic immobility behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schulte
- Department of Behavioural EcologyBielefeld UniversityBielefeldGermany
| | - Barbara A. Caspers
- Department of Behavioural EcologyBielefeld UniversityBielefeldGermany
- Joint Institute for Individualisation in a Changing Environment (JICE)University of Münster and Bielefeld UniversityBielefeldGermany
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Maraci Ö, Antonatou-Papaioannou A, Jünemann S, Schneeberger K, Schulze M, Scheffler I, Caspers BA. Bats, Bacteria, and Bat Smell V.2.0: Repeatable Sex-Specific Differences in Scent Organ Microbiota. Microb Ecol 2024; 87:55. [PMID: 38530469 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02368-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Reproducibility is a fundamental principle in science, ensuring reliable and valid findings. However, replication studies are scarce, particularly in ecology, due to the emphasis on novelty for publication. We explored the possibility of replicating original findings in the field of microbial and chemical ecology by conducting a conceptual replication of a previous study analysing the sex-specific differences in the microbial communities inhabiting the wing sacs, a scent organ with crucial functions in olfactory communication, of greater sac-winged bat (Saccopteryx bilineata). In the original study, the skin swabs from the antebrachial wing sacs of the males and wing sac rudiments of the females were analysed using culture-dependent methods to test sex-specific differences. The authors demonstrated that males have lower microbial richness and different microbial composition than females. We attempted to reproduce these findings using 16S rRNA sequencing, which offers improved accuracy in pinpointing microbial members than culture-dependent methods because of advanced statistical methods. Our study validated the original study's findings: Males had a lower microbial richness, and the community composition differed between the sexes. Furthermore, in the current study, males had an increased abundance of bacteria that might potentially be involved in odour production and degradation of malodorous substances and antimicrobial production. Our conceptual replication study corroborated that microbes can play a role in shaping their host's olfactory phenotype and consequently influence sexual selection. Furthermore, the current study emphasises the importance of replication efforts and hopefully encourages a culture that values replication studies in scientific practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Öncü Maraci
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33619, Bielefeld, Germany.
- Joint Institute for Individualisation in a Changing Environment (JICE), University of Münster and Bielefeld University, Münster, Germany.
| | - Anna Antonatou-Papaioannou
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstrasse 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
- Institute of Biology-Zoology, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195, Köning-Luise-Str. 1-3, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sebastian Jünemann
- Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstrasse 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
- Institute for Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-5, Research Center Jülich, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstrasse 27, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Karin Schneeberger
- Animal Ecology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Michael Schulze
- Animal Ecology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ingo Scheffler
- Evolutionary Adaptive Genomics, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 24-26, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33619, Bielefeld, Germany
- Joint Institute for Individualisation in a Changing Environment (JICE), University of Münster and Bielefeld University, Münster, Germany
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Maraci Ö, Antonatou-Papaioannou A, Jünemann S, Engel K, Castillo-Gutiérrez O, Busche T, Kalinowski J, Caspers BA. Timing matters: age-dependent impacts of the social environment and host selection on the avian gut microbiota. Microbiome 2022; 10:202. [PMID: 36434663 PMCID: PMC9700942 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01401-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The establishment of the gut microbiota in early life is a critical process that influences the development and fitness of vertebrates. However, the relative influence of transmission from the early social environment and host selection throughout host ontogeny remains understudied, particularly in avian species. We conducted conspecific and heterospecific cross-fostering experiments in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata domestica) under controlled conditions and repeatedly sampled the faecal microbiota of these birds over the first 3 months of life. We thus documented the development of the gut microbiota and characterised the relative impacts of the early social environment and host selection due to species-specific characteristics and individual genetic backgrounds across ontogeny by using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. RESULTS The taxonomic composition and community structure of the gut microbiota changed across ontogenetic stages; juvenile zebra finches exhibited higher alpha diversity than adults at the post-breeding stage. Furthermore, in early development, the microbial communities of juveniles raised by conspecific and heterospecific foster parents resembled those of their foster family, emphasising the importance of the social environment. In later stages, the social environment continued to influence the gut microbiota, but host selection increased in importance. CONCLUSIONS We provided a baseline description of the developmental succession of gut microbiota in zebra finches and Bengalese finches, which is a necessary first step for understanding the impact of the early gut microbiota on host fitness. Furthermore, for the first time in avian species, we showed that the relative strengths of the two forces that shape the establishment and maintenance of the gut microbiota (i.e. host selection and dispersal from the social environment) change during development, with host selection increasing in importance. This finding should be considered when experimentally manipulating the early-life gut microbiota. Our findings also provide new insights into the mechanisms of host selection. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Öncü Maraci
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Anna Antonatou-Papaioannou
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Institute of Biology-Zoology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sebastian Jünemann
- Institute for Bio- and Geosciences, Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Kathrin Engel
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Omar Castillo-Gutiérrez
- Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Tobias Busche
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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Maraci Ö, Corsini M, Antonatou-Papaioannou A, Jünemann S, Sudyka J, Di Lecce I, Caspers BA, Szulkin M. Changes to the gut microbiota of a wild juvenile passerine in a multidimensional urban mosaic. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6872. [PMID: 35477720 PMCID: PMC9046431 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10734-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanisation is a major anthropogenic perturbation presenting novel ecological and evolutionary challenges to wild populations. Symbiotic microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tracts (gut) of vertebrates have mutual connections with host physiology and respond quickly to environmental alterations. However, the impact of anthropogenic changes and urbanisation on the gut microbiota remains poorly understood, especially in early development. To address this knowledge gap, we characterised the gut microbiota of juvenile great tits (Parus major) reared in artificial nestboxes and in natural cavities in an urban mosaic, employing two distinct frameworks characterising the urban space. Microbial diversity was influenced by cavity type. Alpha diversity was affected by the amount of impervious surface surrounding the breeding location, and positively correlated with tree cover density. Community composition differed between urban and rural sites: these alterations covaried with sound pollution and distance to the city centre. Overall, the microbial communities reflect and are possibly influenced by the heterogeneous environmental modifications that are typical of the urban space. Strikingly, the choice of framework and environmental variables characterising the urban space can influence the outcomes of such ecological studies. Our results open new perspectives to investigate the impact of microbial symbionts on the adaptive capacity of their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Öncü Maraci
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33619, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Michela Corsini
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha Street 2C, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Antonatou-Papaioannou
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstrasse 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
- Institute of Biology-Zoology, Freie Universität Berlin, Köning-Luise-Str. 1-3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sebastian Jünemann
- Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstrasse 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Joanna Sudyka
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha Street 2C, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Irene Di Lecce
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha Street 2C, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33619, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Marta Szulkin
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha Street 2C, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
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Grieves LA, Gilles M, Cuthill IC, Székely T, MacDougall-Shackleton EA, Caspers BA. Olfactory camouflage and communication in birds. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1193-1209. [PMID: 35128775 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Smell is a sensory modality that is rarely considered in birds, but evidence is mounting that olfaction is an important aspect of avian behaviour and ecology. The uropygial gland produces an odoriferous secretion (preen oil) that can differ seasonally and between the sexes. These differences are hypothesized to function in olfactory camouflage, i.e. minimizing detection by nest predators (olfactory crypsis hypothesis), and/or intraspecific olfactory communication, particularly during breeding (sex semiochemical hypothesis). However, evidence for seasonal and sex differences in preen oil is mixed, with some studies finding differences and others not, and direct evidence for the putative function(s) of seasonal variation and sex differences in preen oil remains limited. We conducted a systematic review of the evidence for such changes in preen oil chemical composition, finding seasonal differences in 95% of species (57/60 species in 35 studies) and sex differences in 47% of species (28/59 species in 46 studies). We then conducted phylogenetic comparative analyses using data from 59 bird species to evaluate evidence for both the olfactory crypsis and sex semiochemical hypotheses. Seasonal differences were more likely in the incubating than non-incubating sex in ground-nesting species, but were equally likely regardless of incubation strategy in non-ground-nesting species. This result supports the olfactory crypsis hypothesis, if ground nesters are more vulnerable to olfactorily searching predators than non-ground nesters. Sex differences were more likely in species with uniparental than biparental incubation and during breeding than non-breeding, consistent with both the olfactory crypsis and sex semiochemical hypotheses. At present, the data do not allow us to disentangle these two hypotheses, but we provide recommendations that will enable researchers to do so.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne A Grieves
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M4, Canada
| | - Marc Gilles
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany
| | - Innes C Cuthill
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, U.K
| | - Tamás Székely
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, U.K.,Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem ter 1, Debrecen, H-4032, Hungary
| | | | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany
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Moran NP, Caspers BA, Chakarov N, Ernst UR, Fricke C, Kurtz J, Lilie ND, Lo LK, Müller C, R R, Takola E, Trimmer PC, van Benthem KJ, Winternitz J, Wittmann MJ. Shifts between cooperation and antagonism driven by individual variation: a systematic synthesis review. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas P. Moran
- Centre for Ocean Life DTU‐Aqua, Technical Univ. of Denmark Lyngby Denmark
- Dept of Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld Univ. Bielefeld Germany
| | | | | | - Ulrich R. Ernst
- Inst. for Evolution and Biodiversity, Univ. of Münster Münster Germany
- Apicultural State Inst., Univ. of Hohenheim Stuttgart Germany
| | - Claudia Fricke
- Inst. for Evolution and Biodiversity, Univ. of Münster Münster Germany
| | - Joachim Kurtz
- Inst. for Evolution and Biodiversity, Univ. of Münster Münster Germany
| | - Navina D. Lilie
- Dept of Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld Univ. Bielefeld Germany
- Dept of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld Univ. Bielefeld Germany
| | - Lai Ka Lo
- Inst. for Evolution and Biodiversity, Univ. of Münster Münster Germany
| | | | - Reshma R
- Inst. for Evolution and Biodiversity, Univ. of Münster Münster Germany
| | - Elina Takola
- Inst. of Ecology and Evolution, Friedrich Schiller Univ. Jena Jena Germany
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Schneeberger K, Schulze M, Scheffler I, Caspers BA. Evidence of female preference for odor of distant over local males in a bat with female dispersal. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Geographic variation of sexually selected male traits is common in animals. Female choice also varies geographically and several studies found female preference for local males, which is assumed to lead to local adaptation and, therefore, increases fitness. As females are the nondispersing sex in most mammalian taxa, this preference for local males might be explained by the learning of male characteristics. Studies on the preference of females in female-dispersing species are lacking so far. To find out whether such females would also show preferences for local males, we conducted a study on greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata), a species where females disperse and males stay in their natal colony. Male greater sac-winged bats possess a wing pouch that is filled with odoriferous secretion and fanned toward females during courtship display. In a combination of chemical analysis and behavioral preference tests, we analyzed whether the composition of wing sac secretion varies between two geographically distinct populations (300 km), and whether females show a preference for local or distant male scent. Using gas chromatography, we found significant differences in the composition of the wing sac odors between the two geographically distinct populations. In addition, the behavioral preference experiments revealed that females of both populations preferred the scent of geographically distant males over local males. The wing sac odor might thus be used to guarantee optimal outbreeding when dispersing to a new colony. This is—to our knowledge—the first study on odor preference of females of a species with female-biased dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Schneeberger
- Animal Ecology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, Potsdam, Germany
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Michael Schulze
- Animal Ecology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ingo Scheffler
- Zoology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 24-26, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Behavioual Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld Unviersity, Konsequenz 45, Bielefeld, Germany
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11
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Rathinakumar A, Baheerathan M, Caspers BA, Erinjery JJ, Kaliraj P, Baskaran S, Marimuthu G. Male Chemical Signalling to Recruit Females in the Greater Short-Nosed Fruit Bat Cynopterus sphinx. Acta Chiropterologica 2021. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2021.23.1.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anbalagan Rathinakumar
- Department of Animal Behaviour & Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, India
| | - Murugavel Baheerathan
- Department of Animal Behaviour & Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, India
| | - Barbara A. Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | | | - Perumalswamy Kaliraj
- Department of Animal Behaviour & Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, India
| | - Subbian Baskaran
- Department of Animal Behaviour & Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, India
| | - Ganapathy Marimuthu
- Department of Animal Behaviour & Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, India
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12
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Affiliation(s)
- Öncü Maraci
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz, Bielefeld, Germany
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13
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Maraci Ö, Antonatou-Papaioannou A, Jünemann S, Castillo-Gutiérrez O, Busche T, Kalinowski J, Caspers BA. The Gut Microbial Composition Is Species-Specific and Individual-Specific in Two Species of Estrildid Finches, the Bengalese Finch and the Zebra Finch. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:619141. [PMID: 33679641 PMCID: PMC7933042 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.619141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities residing in the gastrointestinal tracts of animals have profound impacts on the physiological processes of their hosts. In humans, host-specific and environmental factors likely interact together to shape gut microbial communities, resulting in remarkable inter-individual differences. However, we still lack a full understanding of to what extent microbes are individual-specific and controlled by host-specific factors across different animal taxa. Here, we document the gut microbial characteristics in two estrildid finch species, the Bengalese finch (Lonchura striata domestica) and the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) to investigate between-species and within-species differences. We collected fecal samples from breeding pairs that were housed under strictly controlled environmental and dietary conditions. All individuals were sampled at five different time points over a range of 120 days covering different stages of the reproductive cycle. We found significant species-specific differences in gut microbial assemblages. Over a period of 3 months, individuals exhibited unique, individual-specific microbial profiles. Although we found a strong individual signature in both sexes, within-individual variation in microbial communities was larger in males of both species. Furthermore, breeding pairs had more similar microbial profiles, compared to randomly chosen males and females. Our study conclusively shows that host-specific factors contribute structuring of gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Öncü Maraci
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Anna Antonatou-Papaioannou
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Institute of Biology-Zoology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sebastian Jünemann
- Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Omar Castillo-Gutiérrez
- Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Tobias Busche
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Barbara A. Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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14
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Golüke S, Bischof HJ, Caspers BA. Nestling odour modulates behavioural response in male, but not in female zebra finches. Sci Rep 2021; 11:712. [PMID: 33436859 PMCID: PMC7804447 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80466-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies investigating parent offspring recognition in birds led to the conclusion that offspring recognition is absent at the early nestling stage. Especially male songbirds were often assumed to be unable to discriminate between own and foreign offspring. However, olfactory offspring recognition in birds has not been taken into account as yet, probably because particularly songbirds have for a long time been assumed anosmic. This study aimed to test whether offspring might be recognised via smell. We presented zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) parents either the odour of their own or that of foreign nestlings and investigated whether the odour presentation resulted in a change in the number of head saccades, i.e. the rapid horizontal turning of the head, with which birds scan their environment and which can be used as a proxy of arousal. Our experiment indicates that male zebra finches, in contrast to females, differentiate between their own and foreign offspring based on odour cues, as indicated by a significant differences in the change of head saccadic movements between males receiving the own chick odour and males receiving the odour of a foreign chick. Thus, it provides behavioural evidence for olfactory offspring recognition in male zebra finches and also the existence of appropriate phenotypic odour cues of the offspring. The question why females do not show any sign of behavioural response remains open, but it might be likely that females use other signatures for offspring recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Golüke
- grid.7491.b0000 0001 0944 9128Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Hans-Joachim Bischof
- grid.7491.b0000 0001 0944 9128Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Barbara A. Caspers
- grid.7491.b0000 0001 0944 9128Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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15
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Engel K, Pankoke H, Jünemann S, Brandl HB, Sauer J, Griffith SC, Kalinowski J, Caspers BA. Family matters: skin microbiome reflects the social group and spatial proximity in wild zebra finches. BMC Ecol 2020; 20:58. [PMID: 33187490 PMCID: PMC7664024 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-020-00326-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background So far, large numbers of studies investigating the microbiome have focused on gut microbiota and less have addressed the microbiome of the skin. Especially in avian taxa our understanding of the ecology and function of these bacteria remains incomplete. The involvement of skin bacteria in intra-specific communication has recently received attention, and has highlighted the need to understand what information is potentially being encoded in bacterial communities. Using next generation sequencing techniques, we characterised the skin microbiome of wild zebra finches, aiming to understand the impact of sex, age and group composition on skin bacteria communities. For this purpose, we sampled skin swabs from both sexes and two age classes (adults and nestlings) of 12 different zebra finch families and analysed the bacterial communities. Results Using 16S rRNA sequencing we found no effect of age, sex and family on bacterial diversity (alpha diversity). However, when comparing the composition (beta diversity), we found that animals of social groups (families) harbour highly similar bacterial communities on their skin with respect to community composition. Within families, closely related individuals shared significantly more bacterial taxa than non-related animals. In addition, we found that age (adults vs. nestlings) affected bacterial composition. Finally, we found that spatial proximity of nest sites, and therefore individuals, correlated with the skin microbiota similarity. Conclusions Birds harbour very diverse and complex bacterial assemblages on their skin. These bacterial communities are distinguishable and characteristic for intraspecific social groups. Our findings are indicative for a family-specific skin microbiome in wild zebra finches. Genetics and the (social) environment seem to be the influential factors shaping the complex bacterial communities. Bacterial communities associated with the skin have a potential to emit volatiles and therefore these communities may play a role in intraspecific social communication, e.g. via signalling social group membership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Engel
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Helga Pankoke
- Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH, Kantstr. 2, 33790, Halle, Germany
| | - Sebastian Jünemann
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.,Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Hanja B Brandl
- Institute of Zoology, Behavioural Biology, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Jan Sauer
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
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16
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Müller C, Caspers BA, Gadau J, Kaiser S. The Power of Infochemicals in Mediating Individualized Niches. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:981-989. [PMID: 32723498 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Infochemicals, including hormones, pheromones, and allelochemicals, play a central role in mediating information and shaping interactions within and between individuals. Due to their high plasticity, infochemicals are predestined mediators in facilitating individualized niches of organisms. Only recently it has become clear that individual differences are essential to understand how and why individuals realize a tiny subset of the species' niche. Moreover, individual differences have a central role in both ecological adjustment and evolutionary adaptation in a rapidly changing world. Here we highlight that infochemicals act as key signals or cues and empower the realization of the individualized niche through three proposed processes: niche choice, niche conformance, and niche construction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Müller
- Chemical Ecology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Behavioral Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jürgen Gadau
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstraße 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestr. 13, 48149 Münster, Germany
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17
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Caspers BA, Krause ET, Hermanski I, Wiesbrock C, Kastrup FW, Steinfartz S. Developmental costs of yellow colouration in fire salamanders and experiments to test the efficiency of yellow as a warning colouration. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Warning colouration reduces predation risk by signalling or mimicking the unpleasantness of prey and therefore increases survival. We tested in two experiments the evolutionary costs and benefits of the yellow colour pattern in fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra), which display a yellow/black colour pattern usually associated with toxic alkaloids. Our first experiment aimed to test whether the development of colouration is condition dependent and thus related to developmental costs, i.e. influenced by resource availability during the developmental process. Therefore, we reared fire salamander larvae under different nutritional conditions and compared the relative amount of yellow they developed after metamorphosis. Fire salamander larvae reared under limited food conditions had a lower proportion of yellow following metamorphosis than control larvae reared under superior food conditions. In a second experiment we tested whether the proportion of yellow has an impact on the risk of being attacked using artificial models. We tested, in salamander-free and salamander-occupied natural habitats, whether artificial clay models with different proportions of yellow and black receive different attack rates from potential predators (birds, mammals, insects). In clay models the proportion of yellow and the site had a significant effect on predation risk. Models with larger amounts of yellow had fewer bite marks from predators such as carabid beetles and birds, but only in sympatry with salamanders. In conclusion, the early expression of conspicuous colouration seems to be condition dependent and therefore potentially costly. Furthermore, the yellow colouration of fire salamanders act as a signal that potentially reduces their risk of being attacked by predators. Thus, the yellow colouration of fire salamanders seems to represent an adaptive trait that reduces the risk of predation, which can be expressed in higher quantity by individuals of a certain condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara A. Caspers
- 1Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - E. Tobias Krause
- 2Friedrich-Loeffler Institut, Institute of Animal Welfare and Husbandry, Doernbergstr. 25-27, 29223 Celle, Germany
| | - Isabelle Hermanski
- 1Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | | | - Friedrich-Wilhelm Kastrup
- 3Department of Engineering and Mathematics, University of Applied Sciences, Interaktion 1, 33619 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Sebastian Steinfartz
- 4University of Leipzig, Institute for Biology, Molekulare Evolution und Systematik der Tiere, Leipzig, Germany
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18
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Oswald P, Tunnat BA, Hahn LG, Caspers BA. There is no place like home: Larval habitat type and size affect risk‐taking behaviour in fire salamander larvae (
Salamandra salamandra
). Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pia Oswald
- Department of Behavioural Ecology Bielefeld University Bielefeld Germany
| | - Benjamin A. Tunnat
- Department of Behavioural Ecology Bielefeld University Bielefeld Germany
| | - Luca G. Hahn
- Institute of Zoology University of Cologne Cologne Germany
| | - Barbara A. Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology Bielefeld University Bielefeld Germany
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19
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Golüke S, Bischof HJ, Engelmann J, Caspers BA, Mayer U. Social odour activates the hippocampal formation in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Behav Brain Res 2019; 364:41-49. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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20
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Grosser S, Sauer J, Paijmans AJ, Caspers BA, Forcada J, Wolf JBW, Hoffman JI. Fur seal microbiota are shaped by the social and physical environment, show mother–offspring similarities and are associated with host genetic quality. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:2406-2422. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Grosser
- Department of Animal Behaviour Bielefeld University Bielefeld Germany
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology LMU Munich Planegg‐Martinsried Germany
| | - Jan Sauer
- Department of Animal Behaviour Bielefeld University Bielefeld Germany
| | | | | | - Jaume Forcada
- British Antarctic Survey Natural Environment Research Council Cambridge UK
| | - Jochen B. W. Wolf
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology LMU Munich Planegg‐Martinsried Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
| | - Joseph I. Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour Bielefeld University Bielefeld Germany
- British Antarctic Survey Natural Environment Research Council Cambridge UK
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21
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Engel K, Sauer J, Jünemann S, Winkler A, Wibberg D, Kalinowski J, Tauch A, Caspers BA. Individual- and Species-Specific Skin Microbiomes in Three Different Estrildid Finch Species Revealed by 16S Amplicon Sequencing. Microb Ecol 2018; 76:518-529. [PMID: 29282519 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-017-1130-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
An animals' body is densely populated with bacteria. Although a large number of investigations on physiological microbial colonisation have emerged in recent years, our understanding of the composition, ecology and function of the microbiota remains incomplete. Here, we investigated whether songbirds have an individual-specific skin microbiome that is similar across different body regions. We collected skin microbe samples from three different bird species (Taeniopygia gutatta, Lonchura striata domestica and Stagonopleura gutatta) at two body locations (neck region, preen gland area). To characterise the skin microbes and compare the bacterial composition, we used high-throughput 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. This method proved suitable for identifying the skin microbiome of birds, even though the bacterial load on the skin appeared to be relatively low. We found that across all species, the two evaluated skin areas of each individual harboured very similar microbial communities, indicative of an individual-specific skin microbiome. Despite experiencing the same environmental conditions and consuming the same diet, significant differences in the skin microbe composition were identified among the three species. The bird species differed both quantitatively and qualitatively regarding the observed bacterial taxa. Although each species harboured its own unique set of skin microbes, we identified a core skin microbiome among the studied species. As microbes are known to influence the host's body odour, our findings of an individual-specific skin microbiome might suggest that the skin microbiome in birds is involved in the odour production and could encode information on the host's genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Engel
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Research Group Chemical Signalling, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Jan Sauer
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Research Group Chemical Signalling, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Jünemann
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
- Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Anika Winkler
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Daniel Wibberg
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Andreas Tauch
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Sequenz 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Research Group Chemical Signalling, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
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22
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Maraci Ö, Engel K, Caspers BA. Olfactory Communication via Microbiota: What Is Known in Birds? Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E387. [PMID: 30065222 PMCID: PMC6116157 DOI: 10.3390/genes9080387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal bodies harbour a complex and diverse community of microorganisms and accumulating evidence has revealed that microbes can influence the hosts' behaviour, for example by altering body odours. Microbial communities produce odorant molecules as metabolic by-products and thereby modulate the biochemical signalling profiles of their animal hosts. As the diversity and the relative abundance of microbial species are influenced by several factors including host-specific factors, environmental factors and social interactions, there are substantial individual variations in the composition of microbial communities. In turn, the variations in microbial communities would consequently affect social and communicative behaviour by influencing recognition cues of the hosts. Therefore, microbiota studies have a great potential to expand our understanding of recognition of conspecifics, group members and kin. In this review, we aim to summarize existing knowledge of the factors influencing the microbial communities and the effect of microbiota on olfactory cue production and social and communicative behaviour. We concentrate on avian taxa, yet we also include recent research performed on non-avian species when necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Öncü Maraci
- Research Group Chemical Signalling, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Kathrin Engel
- Research Group Chemical Signalling, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Research Group Chemical Signalling, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
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23
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Krause ET, Bischof HJ, Engel K, Golüke S, Maraci Ö, Mayer U, Sauer J, Caspers BA. Olfaction in the Zebra Finch ( Taeniopygia guttata ): What Is Known and Further Perspectives. Advances in the Study of Behavior 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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24
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Caspers BA, Hagelin JC, Paul M, Bock S, Willeke S, Krause ET. Zebra Finch chicks recognise parental scent, and retain chemosensory knowledge of their genetic mother, even after egg cross-fostering. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12859. [PMID: 28993703 PMCID: PMC5634463 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13110-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms underlying parent-offspring recognition in birds have fascinated researchers for centuries. Yet, the possibility that chicks recognise parental odour at hatching has been completely overlooked, despite the fact that olfaction is one of the first sensory modalities to develop, and social chemosignals occur in avian taxa. Here we show that Zebra Finch chicks (Taeniopygia guttata) are capable of identifying parental odours at hatching. In our first experiment, chicks begged significantly longer in response to the odour of their genetic mother or father compared to the odour of a non-relative of the same sex and reproductive status. In a second experiment, we cross-fostered eggs and tested the response of hatchlings to the scent of genetic vs. foster parents. Chicks from cross-fostered eggs responded significantly more to the odour of their genetic mother than their foster mother, but exhibited no difference in response to genetic vs. foster fathers. This is the first evidence that embryonic altricial birds are capable of acquiring chemosensory knowledge of their parents during early development, and retain chemical familiarity with their genetic mother despite egg cross-fostering. Furthermore our data reveals that kin recognition in birds can develop without any association with a genetic parent at hatching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Research Group Olfactory Communication, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Julie C Hagelin
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska, 99775, USA
| | - Madeleine Paul
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Research Group Olfactory Communication, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Sandra Bock
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Research Group Olfactory Communication, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Sandra Willeke
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Research Group Olfactory Communication, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - E Tobias Krause
- Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Dörnbergstr. 25-27, 29223, Celle, Germany
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25
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Rossi M, Marfull R, Golüke S, Komdeur J, Korsten P, Caspers BA. Begging blue tit nestlings discriminate between the odour of familiar and unfamiliar conspecifics. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Rossi
- Department of Animal Behaviour Bielefeld University Bielefeld Germany
- School of Life Sciences University of Sussex Falmer Brighton UK
| | - Reinaldo Marfull
- Behavioural Physiology and Ecology Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Sarah Golüke
- Department of Animal Behaviour Bielefeld University Bielefeld Germany
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural Physiology and Ecology Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Peter Korsten
- Department of Animal Behaviour Bielefeld University Bielefeld Germany
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26
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Griffith SC, Crino OL, Andrew SC, Nomano FY, Adkins-Regan E, Alonso-Alvarez C, Bailey IE, Bittner SS, Bolton PE, Boner W, Boogert N, Boucaud ICA, Briga M, Buchanan KL, Caspers BA, Cichoń M, Clayton DF, Derégnaucourt S, Forstmeier W, Guillette LM, Hartley IR, Healy SD, Hill DL, Holveck MJ, Hurley LL, Ihle M, Tobias Krause E, Mainwaring MC, Marasco V, Mariette MM, Martin-Wintle MS, McCowan LSC, McMahon M, Monaghan P, Nager RG, Naguib M, Nord A, Potvin DA, Prior NH, Riebel K, Romero-Haro AA, Royle NJ, Rutkowska J, Schuett W, Swaddle JP, Tobler M, Trompf L, Varian-Ramos CW, Vignal C, Villain AS, Williams TD. Variation in Reproductive Success Across Captive Populations: Methodological Differences, Potential Biases and Opportunities. Ethology 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon C. Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Ondi L. Crino
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Samuel C. Andrew
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Fumiaki Y. Nomano
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Elizabeth Adkins-Regan
- Department of Psychology and Department of Neurobiology and Behavior; Cornell University; Ithaca NY USA
| | - Carlos Alonso-Alvarez
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) - CSIC-UCLM-JCCM; Ciudad Real Spain
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva; Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales - CSIC; Madrid Spain
| | - Ida E. Bailey
- School of Biology; University of St Andrews; St Andrews, Fife UK
| | | | - Peri E. Bolton
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Winnie Boner
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Neeltje Boogert
- School of Psychology; University of St Andrews; St Andrews, Fife UK
| | - Ingrid C. A. Boucaud
- CNRS UMR 9197 NeuroPSI/ENES; Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Saint-Etienne France
| | - Michael Briga
- Behavioural Biology; University of Groningen; Groningen The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Mariusz Cichoń
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Jagiellonian University; Cracow Poland
| | - David F. Clayton
- Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology; Queen Mary University of London; London UK
| | | | - Wolfgang Forstmeier
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Seewiesen Germany
| | | | - Ian R. Hartley
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster UK
| | - Susan D. Healy
- School of Biology; University of St Andrews; St Andrews, Fife UK
| | - Davina L. Hill
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Marie-Jeanne Holveck
- Institute of Biology; University of Leiden; Leiden The Netherlands
- Biodiversity Research Centre; Earth and Life Institute; Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL); Louvain-la-Neuve Belgium
| | - Laura L. Hurley
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Malika Ihle
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Seewiesen Germany
| | - E. Tobias Krause
- Department of Animal Behaviour; Bielefeld University; Bielefeld Germany
- Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry; Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut; Celle Germany
| | - Mark C. Mainwaring
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster UK
| | - Valeria Marasco
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Mylene M. Mariette
- CNRS UMR 9197 NeuroPSI/ENES; Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Saint-Etienne France
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences; Deakin University; Geelong VIC Australia
| | - Meghan S. Martin-Wintle
- Conservation and Research Department; PDXWildlife; Portland OR USA
- Applied Animal Ecology; Institute for Conservation Research; San Diego Zoo Global; Escondido CA USA
| | - Luke S. C. McCowan
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Maeve McMahon
- Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology; Queen Mary University of London; London UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Ruedi G. Nager
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Marc Naguib
- Behavioural Ecology Group; Department of Animal Sciences; Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Andreas Nord
- Department of Biology; Lund University; Lund Sweden
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology; University of Tromsø; Tromsø Norway
| | - Dominique A. Potvin
- Advanced Facility for Avian Research; University of Western Ontario; London ON Canada
| | - Nora H. Prior
- Zoology Department; University of British Columbia; Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Katharina Riebel
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster UK
| | - Ana A. Romero-Haro
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) - CSIC-UCLM-JCCM; Ciudad Real Spain
| | - Nick J. Royle
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Penryn UK
| | - Joanna Rutkowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Jagiellonian University; Cracow Poland
| | - Wiebke Schuett
- Zoological Institute; University of Hamburg; Hamburg Germany
| | - John P. Swaddle
- Biology Department; Institute for Integrative Bird Behaviour Studies; The College of William and Mary; Williamsburg VA USA
| | | | - Larissa Trompf
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Claire W. Varian-Ramos
- Biology Department; Institute for Integrative Bird Behaviour Studies; The College of William and Mary; Williamsburg VA USA
| | - Clémentine Vignal
- CNRS UMR 9197 NeuroPSI/ENES; Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Saint-Etienne France
| | - Avelyne S. Villain
- CNRS UMR 9197 NeuroPSI/ENES; Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Saint-Etienne France
| | - Tony D. Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences; Simon Fraser University; Burnaby BC Canada
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Schneeberger K, Voigt CC, Müller C, Caspers BA. Multidimensionality of Chemical Information in Male Greater Sac-Winged Bats (Saccopteryx bilineata). Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Abstract
Parental investment in unrelated offspring seems maladaptive from an evolutionary perspective, due to the costs of energy and resources that cannot be invested in related offspring at the same time. Therefore selection should favour mechanisms to discriminate between own and foreign offspring. In birds, much emphasis has been placed on understanding the visual mechanisms underlying egg recognition. However, olfactory egg recognition has almost been completely ignored. Here, we investigated whether female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) are able to discriminate between their own and a conspecific egg based on olfactory cues alone. Zebra finches are colonial—breeding songbirds. Eggs are monomorphic, i.e. without any spotting pattern, and intraspecific brood parasitism frequently occurs. In a binary choice experiment, female zebra finches were given the choice between the scent of their own and a conspecific egg. After the onset of incubation, females chose randomly and showed no sign of discrimination. However, shortly before hatching, females preferred significantly the odour of their own egg. The finding that females are capable to smell their own egg may inspire more research on the potential of olfaction involved in egg recognition, especially in cases where visual cues might be limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Golüke
- Research Group Olfactory Communication, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- * E-mail: (SG); (BAC)
| | - Sebastian Dörrenberg
- Research Group Olfactory Communication, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - E. Tobias Krause
- Friedrich-Loeffler Institut, Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry, Celle, Germany
| | - Barbara A. Caspers
- Research Group Olfactory Communication, Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- * E-mail: (SG); (BAC)
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julie Hagelin
- Institute of Arctic Biology; University of Alaska; Fairbanks AK USA
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Fairbanks AK USA
| | - Sandra Bock
- Department of Animal Behaviour; Bielefeld University; Bielefeld Germany
| | - E. Tobias Krause
- Department of Animal Behaviour; Bielefeld University; Bielefeld Germany
- Behavioural Ecology Group; Department of Animal Sciences; Wageningen University; Wageningen The Netherlands
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Baggett M, Batcheller J, Blouin AS, Behrens E, Bradley C, Brown MJ, Brown DS, Bolton LB, Borromeo AR, Burtson P, Caramanica L, Caspers BA, Chow M, Christopher MA, Clarke SP, Delucas C, Dent RL, Disser T, Eliopoulos C, Everett LQ, Garcia A, Glassman K, Goodwin S, Haagenson D, Harper E, Harris K, Hoying CL, Hughes-Rease M, Kelly L, Kiger AJ, Kobs-Abbott A, Krueger J, Larson J, March C, Martin DM, Mazyck D, Meenan P, McGaffigan P, Myers KK, Nell K, Newcomer B, Cathy R, O'Rourke M, Rosa B, Rose R, Rudisill P, Sanford K, Simpson RL, Snowden T, Strickland B, Strohecker S, Weems RB, Welton J, Weston M, Valentine NM, Vento L, Yendro S. Excellence and evidence in staffing: a data-driven model for excellence in staffing (2nd edition). Nurs Econ 2014; 32:3-35. [PMID: 25144948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, 2010) and the Institute of Medicine's (IOM, 2011) Future of Nursing report have prompted changes in the U.S. health care system. This has also stimulated a new direction of thinking for the profession of nursing. New payment and priority structures, where value is placed ahead of volume in care, will start to define our health system in new and unknown ways for years. One thing we all know for sure: we cannot afford the same inefficient models and systems of care of yesterday any longer. The Data-Driven Model for Excellence in Staffing was created as the organizing framework to lead the development of best practices for nurse staffing across the continuum through research and innovation. Regardless of the setting, nurses must integrate multiple concepts with the value of professional nursing to create new care and staffing models. Traditional models demonstrate that nurses are a commodity. If the profession is to make any significant changes in nurse staffing, it is through the articulation of the value of our professional practice within the overall health care environment. This position paper is organized around the concepts from the Data-Driven Model for Excellence in Staffing. The main concepts are: Core Concept 1: Users and Patients of Health Care, Core Concept 2: Providers of Health Care, Core Concept 3: Environment of Care, Core Concept 4: Delivery of Care, Core Concept 5: Quality, Safety, and Outcomes of Care. This position paper provides a comprehensive view of those concepts and components, why those concepts and components are important in this new era of nurse staffing, and a 3-year challenge that will push the nursing profession forward in all settings across the care continuum. There are decades of research supporting various changes to nurse staffing. Yet little has been done to move that research into practice and operations. While the primary goal of this position paper is to generate research and innovative thinking about nurse staffing across all health care settings, a second goal is to stimulate additional publications. This includes a goal of at least 20 articles in Nursing Economic$ on best practices in staffing and care models from across the continuum over the next 3 years.
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Ibáñez A, Caspers BA, López P, Martín J, Tobias Krause E. Is the reaction to chemical cues of predators affected by age or experience in fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra)? AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2014. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-00002941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Predation is one of the strongest forces driving natural selection. Predator success reduces future prey fitness to zero. Thus, recognition and avoidance of a potential predator is an essential fitness-relevant skill for prey. Being well equipped in the predator-prey arms race is highly adaptive. In this context we tested whether age and/or potential experience of fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra) affected their behaviour towards the chemical signature of a potential predator. We evaluated the space use of salamanders in a test arena with a shelter containing chemical cues from a predator (i.e., a rat) and a clean shelter. Our results demonstrate that naïve subadult fire salamanders do show a significant behavioural reaction towards rat odour. However, they do not avoid the chemical cues of the potential predator, but instead have a significant preference for the shelter with rat faeces. In contrast to this, both the naïve adult and wild-caught adult fire salamanders showed neither a preference nor an avoidance of rat scent. These results could suggest a role of age in odour-based predator recognition in salamanders. Similarly, predator recognition through chemical cues could be more important early in life when the young fire salamanders are more vulnerable to predatory attacks and less important in other life stages when salamanders are less subjected to predation. In conclusion, future studies considering wild-caught subadults should disentangle the importance of previous experience for predator chemical recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Ibáñez
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, C.S.I.C., José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Barbara A. Caspers
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Pilar López
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, C.S.I.C., José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Martín
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, C.S.I.C., José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - E. Tobias Krause
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Caspers BA, Krause ET, Hendrix R, Kopp M, Rupp O, Rosentreter K, Steinfartz S. The more the better - polyandry and genetic similarity are positively linked to reproductive success in a natural population of terrestrial salamanders (Salamandra salamandra). Mol Ecol 2013; 23:239-50. [PMID: 24168518 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Revised: 09/09/2013] [Accepted: 10/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Although classically thought to be rare, female polyandry is widespread and may entail significant fitness benefits. If females store sperm over extended periods of time, the consequences of polyandry will depend on the pattern of sperm storage, and some of the potential benefits of polyandry can only be realized if sperm from different males is mixed. Our study aimed to determine patterns and consequences of polyandry in an amphibian species, the fire salamander, under fully natural conditions. Fire salamanders are ideal study objects, because mating, fertilization and larval deposition are temporally decoupled, females store sperm for several months, and larvae are deposited in the order of fertilization. Based on 18 microsatellite loci, we conducted paternity analysis of 24 female-offspring arrays with, in total, over 600 larvae fertilized under complete natural conditions. More than one-third of females were polyandrous and up to four males were found as sires. Our data clearly show that sperm from multiple males is mixed in the female's spermatheca. Nevertheless, paternity is biased, and the most successful male sires on average 70% of the larvae, suggesting a 'topping off' mechanism with first-male precedence. Female reproductive success increased with the number of sires, most probably because multiple mating ensured high fertilization success. In contrast, offspring number was unaffected by female condition and genetic characteristics, but surprisingly, it increased with the degree of genetic relatedness between females and their sires. Sires of polyandrous females tended to be genetically similar to each other, indicating a role for active female choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
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Caspers BA, Hoffman JI, Kohlmeier P, Krüger O, Krause ET. Olfactory imprinting as a mechanism for nest odour recognition in zebra finches. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Abstract
With the health care environment shifting to a value-based payment system, Catholic Health Initiatives nursing leadership spearheaded an initiative with 14 hospitals to establish best nursing care at a lower cost. The implementation of technology-enabled business processes at point of care led to a new model for best value nursing care: Value-Based Resource Management. The new model integrates clinical patient data from the electronic medical record and embeds the new information in care team workflows for actionable real-time decision support and predictive forecasting. The participating hospitals reported increased patient satisfaction and cost savings in the reduction of overtime and improvement in length of stay management. New data generated by the initiative on nursing hours and cost by patient and by population (Medicare severity diagnosis-related groups), and patient health status outcomes across the acute care continuum expanded business intelligence for a value-based population health system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara A Caspers
- Nursing Operations and Acute Care Practice, Catholic Health Initiatives, Denver, Colorado 80112, USA.
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Abstract
The ability to recognize close relatives in order to cooperate or to avoid inbreeding is widespread across all taxa. One accepted mechanism for kin recognition in birds is associative learning of visual or acoustic cues. However, how could individuals ever learn to recognize unfamiliar kin? Here, we provide the first evidence for a novel mechanism of kin recognition in birds. Zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) fledglings are able to distinguish between kin and non-kin based on olfactory cues alone. Since olfactory cues are likely to be genetically based, this finding establishes a neglected mechanism of kin recognition in birds, particularly in songbirds, with potentially far-reaching consequences for both kin selection and inbreeding avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Tobias Krause
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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Caspers BA, Schroeder FC, Franke S, Voigt CC. Scents of adolescence: the maturation of the olfactory phenotype in a free-ranging mammal. PLoS One 2011; 6:e21162. [PMID: 21738615 PMCID: PMC3124483 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0021162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2011] [Accepted: 05/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfaction is an important sensory modality for mate recognition in many mammal species. Odorants provide information about the health status, genotype, dominance status and/or reproductive status. How and when odor profiles change during sexual maturation is, however often unclear, particularly in free-ranging mammals. Here, we investigated whether the wing sac odorant of male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata, Emballonuridae) differs between young and adults, and thus offers information about sexual maturity to potential mating partners. Using gas chromatography – mass spectrometry, we found differences in the odorants of young and adult males prior and during, but not after the mating period. The wing sac odorant of adult males consists of several substances, such as Pyrocoll, 2,6,10-trimethyl-3-oxo-6,10-dodecadienolide, and a so far unidentified substance; all being absent in the odor profiles of juveniles prior to the mating season. During the mating season, these substances are present in most of the juvenile odorants, but still at lower quantities compared to the wing sac odorants of adults. These results suggest that the wing sac odorant of males encodes information about age and/or sexual maturity. Although female S. bilineata start to reproduce at the age of half a year, most males of the same age postpone the sexual maturation of their olfactory phenotype until after the first mating season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany.
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Caspers BA, Krause ET. Odour-based natal nest recognition in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), a colony-breeding songbird. Biol Lett 2011; 7:184-6. [PMID: 20880859 PMCID: PMC3061170 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.0775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2010] [Accepted: 09/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Passerine birds have an extensive repertoire of olfactory receptor genes. However, the circumstances in which passerine birds use olfactory signals are poorly understood. The aim of this study is to investigate whether olfactory cues play a role in natal nest recognition in fledged juvenile passerines. The natal nest provides fledglings with a safe place for sleeping and parental food provisioning. There is a particular demand in colony-breeding birds for fledglings to be able to identify their nests because many pairs breed close to each other. Olfactory orientation might thus be of special importance for the fledglings, because they do not have a visual representation of the nest site and its position in the colony when leaving the nest for the first time. We investigated the role of olfaction in nest recognition in zebra finches, which breed in dense colonies of up to 50 pairs. We performed odour preference tests, in which we offered zebra finch fledglings their own natal nest odour versus foreign nest odour. Zebra finch fledglings significantly preferred their own natal nest odour, indicating that fledglings of a colony breeding songbird may use olfactory cues for nest recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.
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Krause ET, Steinfartz S, Caspers BA. Poor Nutritional Conditions During the Early Larval Stage Reduce Risk-Taking Activities of Fire Salamander Larvae (Salamandra salamandra). Ethology 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01886.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Abstract
AbstractFinding a potential mate, that is an individual of the opposite sex, is a fundamental step for sexual reproduction in animal species. Signals involved in the context of mate attraction are mediated by acoustic, visual, and/or chemical signals. For amphibians in general, and especially for many newt and salamander species, chemical cues are known to play important roles in inter- and intraspecific communication. We therefore investigated the use of olfactory cues for sex recognition in terrestrial fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra) that belong to the group of true salamanders within the Salamandridae. Specifically, we performed odor preference tests with adult salamanders of both sexes and tested whether substrate-borne chemical cues provide sex-specific signals. We found an overall preference for chemical cues of the opposite sex, i.e. males and females differed significantly in their preference for a specific sex. Females spent significantly more time in the compartment with the chemical cues of a male, whereas males did not show a significant preference, but in general more males preferred the compartment with the chemical cues of a female. Our results suggest that fire salamanders are capable to discriminate the sex of conspecific individuals based on pure chemical cues. We discuss our results in the light of the presence of dorsal glands in the males' cloaca of true salamander species, from which pheromones can be directly released onto the substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Steinfartz
- 1University of Bielefeld, Department of Animal Behaviour, Unit Molecular Ecology and Behaviour, Morgenbreede 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Barbara A. Caspers
- 2University of Bielefeld, Department of Animal Behaviour, Unit Molecular Ecology and Behaviour, Morgenbreede 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany;,
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Caspers BA, Junge C, Weitere M, Steinfartz S. Habitat adaptation rather than genetic distance correlates with female preference in fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra). Front Zool 2009; 6:13. [PMID: 19563652 PMCID: PMC2709618 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-6-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2009] [Accepted: 06/29/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although some mechanisms of habitat adaptation of conspecific populations have been recently elucidated, the evolution of female preference has rarely been addressed as a force driving habitat adaptation in natural settings. Habitat adaptation of fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra), as found in Middle Europe (Germany), can be framed in an explicit phylogeographic framework that allows for the evolution of habitat adaptation between distinct populations to be traced. Typically, females of S. salamandra only deposit their larvae in small permanent streams. However, some populations of the western post-glacial recolonization lineage use small temporary ponds as larval habitats. Pond larvae display several habitat-specific adaptations that are absent in stream-adapted larvae. We conducted mate preference tests with females from three distinct German populations in order to determine the influence of habitat adaptation versus neutral genetic distance on female mate choice. Two populations that we tested belong to the western post-glacial recolonization group, but are adapted to either stream or pond habitats. The third population is adapted to streams but represents the eastern recolonization lineage. RESULTS Despite large genetic distances with FST values around 0.5, the stream-adapted females preferred males from the same habitat type regardless of genetic distance. Conversely, pond-adapted females did not prefer males from their own population when compared to stream-adapted individuals of either lineage. CONCLUSION A comparative analysis of our data showed that habitat adaptation rather than neutral genetic distance correlates with female preference in these salamanders, and that habitat-dependent female preference of a specific pond-reproducing population may have been lost during adaptation to the novel environmental conditions of ponds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara A Caspers
- University of Bielefeld, Dept. Behavioural Biology, Research Group of Molecular Ecology and Behaviour, Morgenbreede 45, D-33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Claudia Junge
- University of Bielefeld, Dept. Behavioural Biology, Research Group of Molecular Ecology and Behaviour, Morgenbreede 45, D-33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Dept. of Biology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Markus Weitere
- University of Cologne, Zoological Institute, Weyertal 119, D-50923 Cologne, Germany
| | - Sebastian Steinfartz
- University of Bielefeld, Dept. Behavioural Biology, Research Group of Molecular Ecology and Behaviour, Morgenbreede 45, D-33615 Bielefeld, Germany
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Caspers BA, Schroeder FC, Franke S, Streich WJ, Voigt CC. Odour-based species recognition in two sympatric species of sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata, S. leptura): combining chemical analyses, behavioural observations and odour preference tests. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-009-0708-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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