Article
Ecology
Emerson Arehart, Jody R. Reimer, Frederick R. Adler
Summary: Finding a common currency for benefits and hazards in optimal foraging theory is challenging. We propose a new analytic approach that incorporates the nonlinear effect of predation risk and provides a quantitative measure of the trade-off between foraging rewards and hazards. We compare optimal decision-making dynamics for different foraging life-history strategies, showing that foragers with delayed-benefit strategies are more sensitive to predation risk.
Article
Agronomy
Luis Enrique Chavarin-Gomez, Pedro Torres-Enciso, Paola Andrea Palmeros-Suarez, Ricardo Ramirez-Romero
Summary: This study investigates the foraging behavior of the parasitoid Eretmocerus eremicus in relation to the number of hosts and the risk of predation. The results show that the number of hosts has a significant impact on the parasitoid's behavior, while the risk of predation has a relatively smaller effect.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Nick A. R. Jones, Barbara C. Klump, Teresa M. Abaurrea, Sophie Harrower, Clare Marr, Louise Scott, Luke Rendell, Mike M. Webster
Summary: Ballistic predation, a rare foraging adaptation in fishes, is exhibited by gouramis through shooting water to catch prey. Both male and female gouramis are capable of shooting, with differences observed in shooting performance based on target height. This behavior may have evolved convergently with archerfish and offers opportunities for comparative studies in the ecology and evolution of shooting in fishes.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Douglas W. W. Morris
Summary: Foraging involves a trade-off between food and safety, which is often associated with predation. However, danger and risk can arise from various causes and cannot be solely assessed based on predators. To provide a more comprehensive assessment of risk management, this study manipulated and measured risks by adding shelter and time-varying supplemental food to a population of meadow voles. The results showed that voles foraged more actively under safety, recognized least risk with access to both food and shelter, and exhibited sex-dependent habitat selection. This study highlights the need for ecologists to consider other dangers and processes that can alter foraging behavior and habitat selection, rather than attributing risk solely to predation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhiwei Zhong, Guoliang Li, Dirk Sanders, Deli Wang, Robert D. Holt, Zhibin Zhang
Summary: Predator-prey interactions play a critical role in structuring ecological communities. This study shows that herbivorous prey species can actively modify their habitat structure to reduce predation risk, resulting in reduced mortality rates. These findings highlight the importance of ecosystem engineering in the interplay between predation risk and natural communities.
Article
Zoology
Si Chen, Li Feng, Bo Wang
Summary: Scatter-hoarding rodents play a crucial role in seed survival and dispersal. The effect of seed size on rodent-seed interaction varies among species and different foraging processes. Including a large number of species in studies can avoid biased results. Seed size has a consistent effect on dispersal success across species over multiple years.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Sajjad Dalir, Hamidreza Hajiqanbar, Yaghoub Fathipour, Mostafa Khanamani
Summary: The study assessed the age-specific functional and numerical responses of Neoseiulus cucumeris to eggs of two-spotted spider mites. It was found that N. cucumeris showed a significant increase in numerical response with increasing prey density, but the rate gradually decreased at higher densities. The predatory mite demonstrated a stronger functional response and predation capacity on two-spotted spider mite eggs, indicating its high potential as a biological control agent.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
A. Giordano, L. Hunninck, M. J. Sheriff
Summary: Anthropogenic noise and predation risk have concurrent influences on free-living small mammals, affecting their foraging behavior and vigilance. Road noise can increase foraging efficiency but reduce food intake.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Paula L. Perrig, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Emiliano Donadio, Justine A. Smith, Arthur D. Middleton, Jonathan N. Pauli
Summary: This study investigated the response of Andean condors to predation risk and found that they searched for carrion in areas where pumas had killed camelids. However, condors avoided exploiting carrion in areas with high vegetation and steep slopes, indicating that they primarily manage risk by identifying safe foraging sites.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ryunosuke Okawa, Takashi Saitoh, Takashi Noda
Summary: A study found that the presence of the Japanese wood mouse as an alternative seed disperser species affected the seed dispersal effectiveness of the red squirrel on the Japanese walnut in natural forests of Hokkaido, Japan. The squirrel-mouse site had higher seed removal rates, more dispersed seeds and seedlings, and a repulsive relationship with adult conspecific trees.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jennifer Howell-Stephens, Emily J. Potratz, Joel S. Brown, Dave Bernier, Rachel M. Santymire
Summary: Zoo managers evaluate the stress response of zoo animals by analyzing their behavior and glucocorticoids. In this study, we used non-invasive sampling to measure how southern three-banded armadillos in a zoo perceived their habitats. The results showed that armadillos did not respond to patch modifications but foraged more when there was increased cover. The relationship between giving-up densities and fecal glucocorticoid metabolites varied among individuals. Overall, this study provides valuable information for zoo managers and suggests non-invasive indicators for monitoring adrenocortical activity in zoo-housed species. Evaluation: 8 out of 10.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Christopher I. Imakando, G. Mandela Fernandez-Grandon, Grant R. Singleton, Steven R. Belmain
Summary: Evidence-based information on the foraging activity of rodent pests in maize fields can help smallholder farmers determine when and where to conduct rodent management. This study found that the foraging activity of rodents was influenced by vegetation cover and food availability, with higher activity observed in the natural habitat and along the border during the germination stage and in the maize fields during the harvest stage.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Ian Nicholas Best, Pei-Jen Lee Shaner, Kurtis Jai-Chyi Pei, Chi-Chien Kuo
Summary: The study in northwestern Taiwan found that wild murid rodents exhibited different behavioral responses to predation risk cues based on their body size and species. These responses were influenced by microhabitat characteristics and predator odors, and smaller and faster species showed more boldness.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Matthew A. A. Wuensch, Alexander M. M. Pratt, David Ward
Summary: This study designed a feeder that measured activity densities and excluded non-target species to accurately measure ungulate habitat preference and space use. The experiments showed that the feeder could discern habitat preference and found that white-tailed deer preferred the old-field habitat. Non-target species accessed the traditional feeding bin more frequently than the modified feeder design. The feeder design offers an alternative method to measure activity densities and restrict access to non-target species.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Denise D. Colombano, Thomas B. Handley, Teejay A. O'Rear, John R. Durand, Peter B. Moyle
Summary: Research in the San Francisco Estuary, CA, USA, has shown that factors such as channel depth, microhabitat, and tides influence fish abundance, while different feeding guilds overlap in space and time. During tidal flooding, fish are predicted to have high gut fullness in subtidal channels, after which they intensively feed throughout the marsh ecosystem.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)