Article
Entomology
Naoki Kihata, Ikkei Shikano
Summary: Enemy-risk effects refer to the non-lethal fitness costs incurred by animals when they perceive a risk of predation. Studies have shown that the threat of attack can slow down caterpillar development and produce smaller adult moths, and the host plant species may influence the severity of these effects.
Review
Ecology
Maximilien A. C. Cuny, Mitchel E. Bourne, Marcel Dicke, Erik H. Poelman
Summary: Plants are affected by the presence and interactions of arthropods, particularly carnivores, which can have both positive and negative effects. Studies have shown that the composition and dynamics of the plant and arthropod community significantly impact plant fitness. It is important to consider a broader community of species and interactions associated with plants, including the potential negative effects of carnivores.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jason Cosens Walsman, Alexander Thomas Strauss, Spencer Ryan Hall
Summary: Parasites can both decrease and increase host density by causing mortality and affecting host foraging behavior. This study integrates trait measurements, a resource-host-parasite model, and experimental epidemics to explore the effects of parasites on host density. The findings demonstrate the tension between density-mediated and trait-mediated effects of parasites, and reveal the importance of resource feedback in determining host density during epidemics.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Peter Schausberger, Demet Cekin, Alena Litin
Summary: Learning is a common phenomenon in animals, with early experiences leading to long-lasting behavioral changes. While the proximate and ultimate factors of individual learning are well understood, the consequences of learning on higher organizational levels, populations, communities, and trophic cascades remain largely unexplored.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Rafael Dettogni Guariento, Guilherme Dalponti, Luciana Silva Carneiro, Adriano Caliman
Summary: The emphasis on understanding the interaction among predators and the effects on prey survival has led to a lack of theoretical understanding on prey defence mechanisms in complex multi-predator scenarios. This study used a mathematical approach to evaluate the prevalence of defended prey phenotypes and their ecological consequences. The results showed that the emergence of defended phenotypes depends on predator-induced mortality rates, phenotype costs, and their effect on predator performance. The study also highlighted the importance of defensive strategies in mediating trophic cascades.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alexandra V. V. Rafalski, Kevin L. L. Pangle, Scott D. D. Peacor
Summary: Predators can directly influence prey populations through predation and risk-induced trait responses. However, the extent of these trait responses varies among different species and environments. One hypothesis suggests that prey species experiencing higher predator mortality will exhibit stronger trait responses. However, other factors may also contribute to the level of trait response, leading to unexpected relationships.
Article
Ecology
Turner S. DeBlieux, Jason T. Hoverman
Summary: The field of natural enemy ecology aims to study the interactions between predator-prey and host-pathogen, and their effects on community structure and pathogen transmission. This study found that different natural enemies resulted in unique community structures, with predators having the most significant impact. Additionally, predators were able to reduce pathogen transmission, with different predator species having varying effects.
Article
Entomology
Quanfeng Yang, Zhuo Li, Fang Ouyang, Xingyuan Men, Kening Zhang, Min Liu, Wei Guo, Chunguang Zhu, Wenlu Zhao, Gadi V. P. Reddy, Feng Ge
Summary: Manipulating border flower strips can effectively promote natural enemies and suppress aphid populations in cotton crops. This study compared the effectiveness of flower strip establishment and chemical control in cotton plots, and found that using flower strips resulted in lower aphid abundances and higher natural enemy abundances compared to chemical control. The pest suppression effect extended up to a distance of 10.5-14.6 m from the flower strip.
ENTOMOLOGIA GENERALIS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joao Carlos Pena, Felipe Aoki-Goncalves, Wesley Dattilo, Milton Cezar Ribeiro, Ian MacGregor-Fors
Summary: The intensification of urbanization is associated with modifications of biological communities and trophic interactions. Predation on herbivorous insects in urban ecosystems can be influenced by the urbanization intensity, with built cover negatively impacting the interactions between herbivorous insects and their natural enemies.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Sora Kim, Sol-Moon Na, Seunghwan Lee, Ki-Jeong Hong
Summary: This study reveals Yponomeuta meguronis as a severe forestry insect pest for Euonymus japonicus in Korea, and provides new descriptions and illustrations of its immature stages and adult forms for future identification. Two natural enemies, Herpestomus brunnicornis and Xanthandrus comtus, were also recognized for the first time in this study.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patricio H. Manriquez, Maria Elisa Jara, Claudio P. Gonzalez, Katherine Jeno, Paolo Domenici, Sue-Ann Watson, Cristian Duarte, Katherina Brokordt
Summary: By evaluating the effects of temperature increase, ocean acidification, and predator presence on a keystone gastropod, this study found that some traits are resilient to climate stressors while others are significantly affected.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Janet Koprivnikar, Alicia Rochette, Mark R. Forbes
Summary: This study discusses the similarities between predators and parasites as natural enemies, highlighting plant-herbivore and animal host-parasite associations in comparison to prey-predator systems. It emphasizes how plants and animals perceive threat and respond with induced victim trait responses against invertebrate enemies, demonstrating the costly nature of these responses in terms of victim fitness or abundance. The research also points out gaps in knowledge about plant and animal host responses to their invertebrate enemies, suggesting directions for future research in natural enemy ecology and pest control.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sahar Chebaane, Amy L. Freestone, Antonio Des Perez, Juan Sempere-Valverde, Paula Chainho, Joao Gama Monteiro, Joao Canning-Clode
Summary: Harbours, as highly modified habitats, are hotspots for non-indigenous species (NIS) and can facilitate invasive processes. However, predation can also play a role in controlling NIS. This study found that predation increased the abundance of NIS, specifically Watersipora subatra, in estuarine marinas but had no effect in the coastal marina. The findings suggest that predation can increase the risk of NIS invasion and highlight the importance of understanding the effects of biotic interactions in coastal artificial habitats.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bianca de Sousa Rangel, Neil Hammerschlag, Renata Guimaraes Moreira
Summary: The field of marine urban ecology is a growing area of research. This study investigated the influence of urbanization on the dietary patterns and nutritional quality of nurse sharks, finding that urban sharks had lower nutritional quality than non-urban sharks, which may have long-term consequences on their health and growth.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Yulin Zhu, Junhui Chen, Yi Zou, Xiaolong Huang, Ting Jiang, Kris A. G. Wyckhuys, Wopke van der Werfh, Haijun Xiao
Summary: This study investigated the role of non-crop habitat in modulating the rice stem borer and parasitoid-mediated biological control. The study found that the rice stem borer infestation levels were highest in agriculture-dominated landscapes. The parasitism rate increased with pest pressure but was not related to landscape-level non-crop habitat cover. The landscape-level responses of parasitoids were species-specific and likely modulated by functional traits. More diverse landscapes experienced lower levels of rice stem borer infestation.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Jennifer E. Smith, Imani B. Smith, Cecelia L. Working, Imani D. Russell, Shelby A. Krout, Kajol S. Singh, Andrew Sih
Summary: Understanding individual differences in parasite loads among hosts is crucial in understanding disease spread, and different flea species occupy distinct ecological niches. Host heterogeneity within populations can play a significant role in structuring the emergence of zoonotic diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Letter
Ecology
Amelia A. Munson, Cameron Jones, Hannes Schraft, Andrew Sih
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
E. Payne, D. L. Sinn, O. Spiegel, S. T. Leu, M. G. Gardner, S. S. Godfrey, C. Wohlfeil, A. Sih
Summary: The study on animal personalities in wild sleepy lizards found that males were marginally more aggressive and bolder than females, with no significant effect of mass on behavior but a positive relationship between tick loads and aggression and boldness. Both aggression and boldness showed repeatability over different timescales and there was no significant difference in repeatability between sexes. Despite a weak positive correlation, no syndrome was found between aggression and boldness.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
A. Munson, M. Michelangeli, A. Sih
Summary: The social niche hypothesis suggests that social interactions play a key role in generating consistent individual differences in behavior, while the social conformity hypothesis points out that frequent interactions within a group may mask or suppress these differences. Research findings show that group-housed sticklebacks exhibited increased among-group differences in shoaling tendencies, while individually housed fish showed decreased individual shoaling variation and repeatability.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Emily Zepeda, Eric Payne, Ashley Wurth, Andrew Sih, Stanley Gehrt
Summary: Natal dispersal plays a key role in connecting individual behavior with ecological processes, especially in urban environments. The study found that coyotes with more developed habitat in their natal home range were more likely to disperse and travel farther. However, the relationship between natal habitat and habitat selection during settlement produced mixed results, while early life experience with urbanization did not seem to influence survival to adulthood or vehicular mortality.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Michael J. Noonan, Ricardo Martinez-Garcia, Grace H. Davis, Margaret C. Crofoot, Roland Kays, Ben T. Hirsch, Damien Caillaud, Eric Payne, Andrew Sih, David L. Sinn, Orr Spiegel, William F. Fagan, Christen H. Fleming, Justin M. Calabrese
Summary: This study introduces a method for describing the long-term encounter location probabilities for movement within home ranges, termed the conditional distribution of encounters (CDE), and demonstrates its broad ecological relevance. The CDE can be used to estimate territorial borders, identify key resources, quantify potential for competitive or predatory interactions, and understand behavior changes resulting from location-specific encounter probabilities. It provides researchers with a better understanding of population dynamics and does not require specialized data collection protocols. This method is now openly available via the ctmm R package.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jack A. Brand, Annalise C. Naimo, Marcus Michelangeli, Jake M. Martin, Andrew Sih, Bob B. M. Wong, David G. Chapple
Summary: This study examined the variation in personality traits of delicate skinks across different ecological contexts, finding that environmental background significantly influenced the structure of lizard personality, with activity rates being repeatable when food resources were present but not when they were absent. This suggests the important role of environmental context in mediating the structure of animal personality traits.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrew Sih
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Chelsea A. Ortiz-Jimenez, Marcus Michelangeli, Erika Pendleton, Andrew Sih, Jennifer E. Smith
Summary: This study found that behaviors of California ground squirrels in response to predators are repeatable and positively correlated, providing an underlying mechanism for a trade-off involving fearfulness expression across stages. Additionally, human activity was found to influence some but not all stages of the anti-predator response.
Article
Ecology
Marcus Michelangeli, Eric Payne, Orr Spiegel, David L. Sinn, Stephan T. Leu, Michael G. Gardner, Andrew Sih
Summary: Individual variation in movement patterns is important for understanding the dynamics of populations and communities. This study on sleepy lizards found consistent differences in movement traits among individuals, which were influenced by internal traits, environmental factors, and habitat type. These differences reflect variation in life-history tactics and have implications for ecological and evolutionary processes.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Justin P. Suraci, Justine A. Smith, Simon Chamaille-Jammes, Kaitlyn M. Gaynor, Menna Jones, Barney Luttbeg, Euan G. Ritchie, Michael J. Sheriff, Andrew Sih
Summary: Predation risk, influenced by animal behavior and environmental conditions, is crucial in theoretical and applied ecology. Research often overlooks ecological complexities and relies on proxies for actual risk, such as predator-prey spatial overlap. Emerging technologies and statistical methods are aiding in a more detailed understanding of predator-prey interactions, leading to improved targeting and effectiveness of conservation interventions.
Article
Biology
Rafal Zwolak, Dale Clement, Andrew Sih, Sebastian J. Schreiber
Summary: The phenomenon of masting plays a crucial role in the evolution of scatter-hoarding, as it reduces seed pilferage and lowers the reproductive cost of caching, promoting the evolution of scatter-hoarding behavior.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biology
Michael G. Bertram, Jake M. Martin, Erin S. McCallum, Lesley A. Alton, Jack A. Brand, Bryan W. Brooks, Daniel Cerveny, Jerker Fick, Alex T. Ford, Gustav Hellstrom, Marcus Michelangeli, Shinichi Nakagawa, Giovanni Polverino, Minna Saaristo, Andrew Sih, Hung Tan, Charles R. Tyler, Bob B. M. Wong, Tomas Brodin
Summary: Animal behavior is highly sensitive to chemical pollution, but current research methods often fail to address the complexity of natural environments. This review aims to guide the development of behavioral ecotoxicology towards increased environmental realism and understanding.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Lea Pollack, Amelia Munson, Matthew S. Savoca, Pete C. Trimmer, Sean M. Ehlman, Michael A. Gil, Andrew Sih
Summary: This article presents an expanded cue-response framework using signal detection theory to predict variation in animals' behavioral responses to novel situations. By considering three behavioral options, the study provides a more holistic perspective and distinguishes between severe and moderate traps, guiding management strategies in a changing world.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
J. C. Loftus, A. A. Perez, A. Sih
Summary: This study explores how individual differences in behavior can guide task specialization in animal groups, introducing the concept of task syndrome to explain the correlation between behavioral tendencies and task participation. By integrating concepts from task allocation research in eusocial organisms with findings from animal personality research, the study identifies future areas for research at the intersection of social behavior and animal personality.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
