Article
Ecology
Shotaro Shiratsuru, Yasmine N. Majchrzak, Michael J. L. Peers, Emily K. Studd, Allyson K. Menzies, Rachael Derbyshire, Murray M. Humphries, Charles J. Krebs, Dennis L. Murray, Stan Boutin
Summary: The study found that food availability and long-term predation risk interactively drive the magnitude of reactive antipredator response to acute predation risk. Determining the factors driving the magnitude of antipredator responses would contribute to a better understanding of the indirect effects of predators on prey populations.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Magda Vodrazkova, Irena Setlikova, Josef Navratil, Michal Berec
Summary: This study investigated the impact of a predator on the embryos of common frogs, finding that the presence of a red-eared slider accelerated the hatching time, resulting in smaller embryos at a lower stage of development.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
M. R. Crossland, R. Shine
Summary: A laboratory experiment found that intraspecific interference competition strongly reduced growth and development of cane toad tadpoles, especially when the competing tadpoles were young individuals. However, these competitive effects disappeared by the time of metamorphosis, with no significant effect on metamorph body condition, size, larval period, or survival.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Chengzhi Yan, Hui Ma, Yuejun Yang, Zhiping Mi
Summary: The limb bones of the Bufo gargarizans in southwest China were found to exhibit sexual dimorphism. Males had longer forelimb skeletons, but shorter hand length compared to females. Additionally, males had larger deltoid and medial crest areas, as well as heavier humerus and radioulna weights. In terms of hindlimbs, males had greater lengths in various bone measurements, but no significant weight differences. These findings suggest that sexual selection plays a role in the evolution of sexual size and shape dimorphism in the limb bones of B. gargarizans.
Article
Ecology
Geoffrey R. Smith
Summary: Species that arrive earlier may consume a limited resource, leaving fewer resources for later-arriving species, resulting in competitive effects even if they are temporally separated. A predator's presence may influence legacy effects by affecting the behavior or survivorship of the early species. This study examined whether the presence of nonnative Western Mosquitofish mediated legacy effects in the interaction between temporally separated American Toads and Bullfrogs.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Rebecca F. B. Padget, Tim W. Fawcett, Safi K. Darden
Summary: The volunteer's dilemma predicts that individuals in larger groups will cooperate less frequently in producing a public good. Contrary to prediction, our study found that guppies in larger groups inspected a predator more frequently than those in smaller groups. However, individuals in larger groups spent less time in refuges. The link between group size, risk, and cooperation is not solely driven by simple dilution.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
James Barr, Catherine A. Boisvert, Kate Trinajstic, Philip W. Bateman
Summary: This study investigates the changes in tail autotomy of Egernia kingii lizards during their growth. The study finds that adult lizards retain more autotomizable vertebrae, which is related to their increased size and strength. Despite relying less on tail autotomy, adult lizards still retain the ability to self-amputate their tails as a last line of defense.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Jeremy A. Goldbogen, Nicholas D. Pyenson, Peter T. Madsen
Summary: Whales are an exceptional subject for studying ecology and evolution due to their extraordinary body sizes and unique foraging strategies, which are unparalleled in the animal kingdom. Toothed whales have developed echolocation to hunt deep-sea fish and cephalopods, while baleen whales rely on bulk filter feeding to exploit abundant but ephemeral prey like krill or fish.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Russell Engelman
Summary: Currently accepted length estimates for Dunkleosteus based on allometric relationships with extant large-bodied sharks are not reliable. Arthrodires have proportionally larger mouths than sharks, and the use of upper jaw perimeter and mouth width to predict body size leads to significant overestimation. The disproportionately large mouths of arthrodires suggest different paleobiology and paleoecology compared to macropredatory sharks.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Guy Beauchamp, Zhongqiu Li, Cong Yu, Peter A. Bednekoff, Daniel T. Blumstein
Summary: Research shows that group size can affect animals' vigilance towards predators, but not all studies demonstrate this relationship. It was found that the percentage of time spent vigilant is one of the most effective ways to measure the size of the effect.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Sebastien M. J. Portalier, Gregor F. Fussmann, Michel Loreau, Mehdi Cherif
Summary: This article discusses the derivation methods of functional response, advocating the use of physics-based approaches to validate hypotheses and provide insights into predator-prey relationships. It highlights the importance of considering physical factors that constrain the movement of predators and prey in understanding functional response.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biology
Adam J. Vanbergen, Claire Boissieres, Alan Gray, Daniel S. Chapman
Summary: The experimental simulation demonstrated that episodic heatwaves, habitat loss, and non-native predation have individual and potentially synergistic or antagonistic effects on ecosystem function and microarthropod communities in microecosystems. These complex outcomes highlight the importance of considering interactions between multiple stressors when assessing anthropogenic risks to biota and ecosystem functioning.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Andrew G. Bauman, Andrew S. Hoey, Glenn Dunshea, Jenny Fong, Ian Z. W. Chan, Peter A. Todd
Summary: Fear of predators influences foraging behavior of herbivorous fishes over small spatial scales, with larger group sizes further from predators. These fear effects interact with herbivore group size to shape the distribution and intensity of herbivory, impacting macroalgal removal on coral reefs.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alejandro Damian-Serrano, Elizabeth D. Hetherington, C. Anela Choy, Steven H. D. Haddock, Alexandra Lapides, Casey W. Dunn
Summary: This study used DNA metabarcoding to investigate the diets of siphonophores in open-ocean ecosystems, revealing a wide range of prey items including crustaceans, gelatinous animals, and fish. The study also compared visual and molecular methods for prey detection and validated tentacle-based predictions of diet. The findings expand our understanding of the ecological roles of siphonophores and their interactions with filter-feeders at the base of the food web, highlighting the importance of their diversity for nutrient flow and ecosystem functioning.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fulvio Licata, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Mattia Falaschi, Benjamin J. Muller, Franco Andreone, Rodino Fetrarijahona Harison, Karen Freeman, Antonio T. Monteiro, Sophia Rosa, Angelica Crottini
Summary: The spatial behavior of invasive toads in Madagascar's eastern coast is important for understanding their invasion dynamics. Radio-tracking 91 toads revealed their preference for habitats close to water and a likelihood of range expansion during the wet season. Although current invasion speed is slow, their capacity for long-distance movements suggests a potential increase in the future.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)