Article
Behavioral Sciences
Leanne K. van der Weyde, Daniel T. Blumstein, Mike Letnic, Katherine Tuft, Ned Ryan-Schofield, Katherine E. Moseby
Summary: Prey species that are naive to novel predators are at increased risk of predation and potential extinction. Exposure to native predators can improve anti-predator traits in prey, but this advantage may not apply to novel predators with different behaviors. Predator naivety negatively affects reintroduction success, especially when prey encounters predators without evolutionary experience. Exposing prey to native predators first may be an effective way to improve their responses to evolutionarily novel predators.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Moshe Gish
Summary: Aphids have a range of defensive behaviors against predators and use multimodal cues to detect approaching coccinellid predators, distinguishing them from harmless insects without triggering defensive responses.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Michael S. Pollock, Zoe Hoyle, Mark Mccormick, Douglas P. Chivers, Maud C. O. Ferrari
Summary: This study provides the first evidence of disturbance cue use in a marine fish, showcasing how disturbance cues can modulate predator recognition learning. The research sheds light on a new perspective for aquatic prey to assess predation risk by utilizing disturbance cues.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Brian D. Wisenden, Alexis A. Taylor, Jessica D. Undem, C. Michael Wagner
Summary: This study investigates whether predation by suction feeding releases enough chemical information to trigger an anti-predator response in prey. The results show that there is no detectable alarm behavior-inducing substance in the water surrounding the predation events between zebrafish and largemouth bass. Additionally, prey retrieved through gastric lavage after being swallowed intact by the bass confirms that the prey's skin remains largely intact during suction feeding. Therefore, this study calls for a recalibration of how chemical cues mediate predator-prey interactions in aquatic ecosystems.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Elizabeth C. Long, Erika V. Iyengar
Summary: The study found that isopods from different sources exhibit different movement responses when perceiving chemical cues from predators, with isopods from ponds with golden shiners showing a significant increase in movement in response to cues from shiners. This may suggest that isopods lack a behavioral response when facing chemical signals from the same fish species that occur in their natal pond.
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Guoqiang Ren, Yu Shi
Summary: This paper investigates the global boundedness and stability of solutions for a prey-taxis model with handling and searching predators in a two-dimensional bounded domain with smooth boundary. By deriving entropy-like equations and boundedness criteria, the paper proves the existence of a unique uniformly bounded global classical solution, and demonstrates that the prey-only steady state is globally asymptotically stable when the predator is weak. The paper also derives the convergence rate of solutions to the steady states.
NONLINEAR ANALYSIS-REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Finn C. G. Parker, Catherine J. Price, Clare McArthur, Jenna P. Bytheway, Peter B. Banks
Summary: Biological invasions are increasing globally, leading to more interactions between native and alien species. This study examines if native predators can overcome their naivete towards novel alien prey through a learned association between prey cues and food rewards, and if this conditioning increases their motivation to hunt alien prey. The study found that pre-exposing native bush rats to cockroach odor and food rewards increased their predation rates on the invasive cockroach species. The results suggest that predators can overcome naivete through learning, and pre-exposure to novel prey cues can enhance predation on alien prey.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Isadora Bordini, Peter C. Ellsworth, Steven E. Naranjo, Alfred Fournier
Summary: Arizona has a successful integrated pest management plan for cotton arthropod pests, including key pests. Field studies showed that the tested insecticides had minimal impact on predator densities and conserved the overall arthropod predator community. The insecticides tested were selective and compatible with sustainable pest management, representing new options for insect pest control that conserve natural enemies and support biological control through favorable changes to predator to prey ratios.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Lisa Skein, Mhairi E. Alexander, Tamara B. Robinson
Summary: This study reviewed case studies on interactions between native marine predators and alien prey, identifying key characteristics determining the outcomes and categorizing results into four biotic resistance scenarios. It found that predator-driven biotic resistance tends to fail when alien prey have high fecundity, recruitment and dispersal potential, while successful resistance is linked to high abundance, predation pressure and feeding rates in native predators.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ilysa S. Iglesias, Jarrod A. Santora, Jerome Fiechter, John C. Field
Summary: Mesopelagic fishes play an important role in global carbon export and act as prey to a wide range of predator species. This study examines the significance of mesopelagic fishes as prey in the California Current Ecosystem, revealing their importance to economically valuable and protected species, as well as highlighting the need to incorporate them into food web models and global carbon budgets.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Lisa A. Taylor, Fiona R. Cross, Robert R. Jackson
Summary: This study investigates how the East African jumping spider Evarcha culicivora identifies blood-carrying mosquitoes using the color red. The research shows that the spiders exhibit the strongest preference for blood-carrying mosquitoes in the first 6 hours after the mosquitoes have fed on blood. Red dye manipulation demonstrates that the spiders consistently prefer red-dyed mosquitoes over grey-dyed mosquitoes.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Marianna E. Horn, Douglas P. Chivers
Summary: Prey animals often adjust their behaviors according to the level of threat in order to adapt to their environment. Research shows that embryonic minnows are able to learn to recognize novel predators and respond accordingly to the degree of threat they pose.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
A. C. Young, T. E. Katzner, D. J. Shinneman, T. N. Johnson
Summary: Shrublands worldwide have been altered by plant invasions, including the expansion of native trees. The removal of native conifer trees, such as juniper, in the western U.S. has been implemented to support declining sagebrush habitats and associated wildlife species. However, the relationship between conifer expansion and predator distributions has not been explicitly evaluated. This study found that habitat use by common ravens and red-tailed hawks was influenced by structural characteristics of the habitat, but not by prey abundance.
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Arnaud Ducrot, Thomas Giletti, Jong-Shenq Guo, Masahiko Shimojo
Summary: This paper investigates the large time behaviour of a three species reaction-diffusion system, modeling the spatial invasion of two predators feeding on a single prey species. The mutations and coupling between predators affect the speed and pattern of invasion.
Article
Ecology
Heather L. Hawk, Ladd E. Johnson
Summary: The design of anthropogenic marine structures can have unintended consequences for ecological communities. This study examines the differences in biofouling communities between pontoons and pilings in a marina in British Columbia, Canada. The results show that crawling benthic predators are more abundant on pilings, and there are differences in taxonomic composition and non-indigenous species between the two habitats, primarily due to the dominance of mussels on pontoons. The study suggests that contact with the seafloor is the key driver of these differences in biofouling communities.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jonas O. Wolff, Kaja Wierucka, Gustavo B. Paterno, Jonathan A. Coddington, Gustavo Hormiga, Michael B. J. Kelly, Marie E. Herberstein, Martin J. Ramirez
Summary: This study investigates the interaction between spider morphology, ecology, and phenotypic diversity. It finds that spider body size and proportions are related to foraging style. Some traits differ between ecological guilds, but there is no specific morphometric trait associated with the relative ecological mode. Eye size and fang length do not differ between ecological guilds. The study highlights the importance of combining phylogenomics with trait-based approaches.
SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marie E. Herberstein, Donald James McLean, Elizabeth Lowe, Jonas O. Wolff, Md Kawsar Khan, Kaitlyn Smith, Andrew P. Allen, Matthew Bulbert, Bruno A. Buzatto, Mark D. B. Eldridge, Daniel Falster, Laura Fernandez Winzer, Simon C. Griffith, Joshua S. Madin, Ajay Narendra, Mark Westoby, Martin J. Whiting, Ian J. Wright, Alexandra J. R. Carthey
Summary: Trait databases are important resources for comparative studies in ecology and evolution. AnimalTraits database is introduced here, which includes body mass, metabolic rate, and brain size data of terrestrial animals. The database covers a wide range of taxonomic groups and species, sourced from original empirical publications with accompanying metrics and measurements. Additional R scripts are provided to assist researchers in aggregating standardized observations.
Article
Plant Sciences
Cristian Gabriel Orlando, Malcolm Possell, Catherine Price, Peter B. Banks, Louis Mercorelli, Clare McArthur
Summary: Studying the open-access information emitted by organisms can provide answers to important questions about ecological interactions and evolution. This study introduces a new conceptual framework and practical method to extract information from olfactory noise. By quantifying odor emissions from two tree species, researchers can identify which odors are likely to contain information.
Review
Biology
J. M. Burkart, J. E. C. Adriaense, R. K. Bruegger, F. M. Miss, K. Wierucka, C. P. van Schaik
Summary: This article explores the primate origins of the human interaction engine, focusing on both great apes and callitrichid monkeys. The authors suggest that callitrichids' habitual cooperative interactions share key elements with the human interaction engine, and these monkeys also possess elaborate communicative skills. The article also discusses the potential impact of cooperative breeding on language evolution in humans.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Pui Ching Chu, Kaja Wierucka, Derek Murphy, Hannah Bethany Tilley, Hannah Sue Mumby
Summary: This study investigates the interventions of handlers during the training process of Asian elephants in a behavioral experiment. It shows that handlers guide elephants using vocal and behavioral cues, despite minimal intervention being requested by the experimenters. The study suggests that guidance from handlers is common in behavioral studies and emphasizes the need to consider and account for cues that animals may receive from humans in experimental design.
Article
Ophthalmology
Minh Anh Thu Phan, Emma Gibson, Blanka Golebiowski, Fiona Stapleton, Andrew M. Jenner, Martin P. Bucknall
Summary: Sex steroids play a role in tear film function regulation, but measuring them in tears is challenging due to small sample volume and low hormone concentrations. This communication highlights the progress in analyzing tear sex steroids using ultra-performance LC-MS (UPLC-MS), and reports further investigations to improve mass spectrometry method sensitivity and accuracy. Higher sensitivity methods and specific MS ionization techniques are needed for future analysis of sex steroids in tears.
EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Casey L. L. Taylor, Siobhon L. L. Egan, Alexander W. W. Gofton, Peter J. J. Irwin, Charlotte L. L. Oskam, Dieter F. F. Hochuli, Peter B. B. Banks
Summary: Little is known about which native and introduced small mammals maintain tick populations in urban landscapes of Australia, preventing host-targeted tick management and leading to human-wildlife conflict. This study found that introduced black rats and long-nosed bandicoots are the main hosts for urban tick populations and medically significant tick species.
MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Maxim W. D. Adams, Laura S. S. Grant, Toby G. L. Kovacs, Stephanie Q. T. Liang, Nicholas Norris, Hannah E. E. Wesley, Megan M. M. Alessi, Peter B. B. Banks
Summary: Human commensal species are considered to be 'natives' of urban environments, but their habitat choices have not been well examined. This study found that the invasive black rat Rattus rattus prefers bushland as a habitat, which may pose ecological risks. These findings highlight the complexity of commensal ecology.
Review
Ecology
Thom van Dooren, Catherine J. Price, Peter B. Banks, Oded Berger-Tal, Matthew Chrulew, Jane Johnson, Gabrielle Lajeunesse, Kate E. Lynch, Clare McArthur, Finn C. G. Parker, Myles Oakey, Benjamin J. Pitcher, Colleen Cassady St Clair, Georgia Ward-Fear, Sam Widin, Bob B. M. Wong, Daniel T. Blumstein
Summary: Conservation behaviour is a growing field that applies insights from animal behaviour study to tackle wildlife conservation and management challenges. It aims to manage specific behaviours of a species to address conservation issues in a less harmful way. However, ethical considerations need to be taken into account when intervening in animal behaviour for conservation purposes. A framework and decision support tool are developed to help managers and researchers evaluate the ethical implications of conservation behaviour interventions compared to other options.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Casey L. Taylor, Henry W. Lydecker, Dieter F. Hochuli, Peter B. Banks
Summary: Zoonotic disease vectors, their wildlife hosts, and the surrounding landscape interact in complex ways that vary spatially, temporally and with anthropogenic change. A study in peri-urban areas of Australia investigated the drivers of human-tick encounters at both the local and landscape scales. The results showed that sightings of potential hosts and broader landscape traits were important predictors of reported tick encounters. These findings provide a critical foundation for further research and tick management strategies in urban environments.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Finn C. G. Parker, Catherine J. Price, Jenna P. Bytheway, Peter B. Banks
Summary: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of using olfactory misinformation (odour camouflage) on a newly sown wheat crop to prevent wild house mice from finding buried seeds, resulting in a significant reduction in seed loss. This method provides a simple, non-lethal, and ethical alternative to pesticides for reducing seed damage and avoiding the use of rodenticides.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Finn C. G. Parker, Catherine J. Price, Clare McArthur, Jenna P. Bytheway, Peter B. Banks
Summary: Biological invasions are increasing globally, leading to more interactions between native and alien species. This study examines if native predators can overcome their naivete towards novel alien prey through a learned association between prey cues and food rewards, and if this conditioning increases their motivation to hunt alien prey. The study found that pre-exposing native bush rats to cockroach odor and food rewards increased their predation rates on the invasive cockroach species. The results suggest that predators can overcome naivete through learning, and pre-exposure to novel prey cues can enhance predation on alien prey.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Michael Kelly, Md Kawsar Khan, Kaja Wierucka, Braxton Jones, Ryan Shofner, Shahan Derkarabetian, Jonas Wolff
Summary: Animals use self-built structures to enhance body functions, but it is unclear whether these structures supplement or substitute body functions. A study on brown spiders showed that the evolutionary loss and gain of silken webs as extended prey capture devices is correlated with changes in locomotor performance and leg spination. However, there is no correlation between running speed and web use, and leg spination only weakly correlates with the use of extended phenotypes. This suggests that web use does not reduce selective pressures on body functions involved in prey capture and defence.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Letter
Ecology
Dale G. Nimmo, Chris J. Jolly, Alexandra J. R. Carthey
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Casey L. Taylor, Dieter F. Hochuli, Peter B. Banks
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the activity patterns and behaviors of small mammals in the urban fringe of Australia. It found that black rats were the most active in residential yards, while long-nosed bandicoots preferred bushland habitats. Residential yards are likely to be important for the persistence of long-nosed bandicoots in urban environments. It is important to control black rat activity in residential yards located adjacent to bushland to avoid negative impacts.
