Article
Ecology
William J. Resetarits, Tyler M. Breech, Jason R. Bohenek, Matthew R. Pintar
Summary: This study investigated the effects of pirate perch density on aquatic insect colonization and whether pirate perch mask heterospecific fish kairomones. The results suggest that fish kairomones are species-specific and chemical camouflage is driven by a unique chemical signature.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Annalise C. Naimo, Cameron Jones, David G. Chapple, Bob B. M. Wong
Summary: This study compared antipredator behavior of an invasive island population and skinks from their original mainland source after 40 generations of isolation. It found that despite the isolation, there were no significant differences in antipredator behavior between invasive and native skinks, but higher activity and exploration levels were linked to reduced antipredator behavior in invasive skinks.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Gustavo Henrique Soares Guedes, Iracema David Gomes, Aparecida Alves do Nascimento, Fernanda Silva de Aguiar, Francisco Gerson Araujo
Summary: The reproductive success of the non-native predator cichlid Cichla kelberi in a Brazilian reservoir can be attributed to its adaptive equilibrium strategy, parental investment, and reproductive reliability. In environments with minimal seasonal changes and low connectivity, the peacock bass can effectively reproduce and maintain a balanced sex ratio.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Addisu Mekonnen, Peter J. Fashing, Vivek V. Venkataraman, Colin A. Chapman, Nils Chr Stenseth, R. Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar
Summary: The study findings suggest that Bale monkeys select sleeping sites based on considerations of predator avoidance, food access, and thermoregulation. They tend to choose sleeping spots near feeding trees to optimize feeding efficiency, and trees with high foliage density for concealment and shelter from cold weather.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Theja Abayarathna, Jonathan K. Webb
Summary: Most lizards lay eggs in nests where the embryos experience temperature fluctuations. The increasing frequency and intensity of summer heatwaves may pose a threat to lizard populations. However, variations in female nest site choice may protect embryos from high temperatures. In this study, eggs of the velvet gecko were incubated under different temperature regimes and it was found that warm-incubated hatchlings hatched earlier and were smaller than cold-incubated hatchlings. The survival of the hatchlings was not influenced by the incubation treatment. This suggests that even with future increases in air temperatures, some shaded nests will still provide suitable thermal conditions for embryo development, and the variation in nest site choice may allow velvet gecko populations to persist in changing environments.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Molly Folkerts Caldwell, Jorge E. Lopez-Perez, Daniel A. Warner, Matthew E. Wolak
Summary: Human disturbance has a significant impact on the breeding behavior of turtles, specifically their choice of nest microhabitat. Alterations in habitat and the presence of humans during nesting can influence nesting behavior and nesting site selection. This study found that turtles in human-disturbed areas did not adjust their choice of nest microhabitat, indicating the importance of preserving natural microhabitat features to maintain turtle populations in such areas. Additionally, the study demonstrated higher nest predation rates in areas with low to intermediate levels of disturbance compared to areas with high human disturbance.
Article
Ecology
Arielle N. Enos, Genevieve M. Kozak
Summary: Research suggests that elevated temperature influences mating behavior in European corn borer moths, increasing investment in matings with genetically distinct mates from different populations.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Susan K. K. King, Stephen C. C. Richter
Summary: Many forested freshwater wetlands have been altered or destroyed, and wetlands are constructed to offset loss. However, they do not always replace the function of natural wetlands. It is important to understand how features of the habitat differ between types of wetlands and whether constructed wetlands provide an adequate habitat for species adapted to natural wetlands.
Article
Ecology
Thomas Tscholl, Gosta Nachman, Bernhard Spangl, Ida Scalmani, Andreas Walzer
Summary: The reproductive abilities of the spider mite and predatory mite were studied under severe heat conditions. The predator showed a decrease in survival rate, while the prey showed an increase in feeding and egg production.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Brooke L. Bodensteiner, John B. Iverson, Carter A. Lea, Carrie L. Milne-Zelman, Timothy S. Mitchell, Jeanine M. Refsnider, Kameron Voves, Daniel A. Warner, Fredric J. Janzen
Summary: Species with large geographical ranges provide a model for studying how populations respond to different local conditions, especially in terms of climate variation. Maternal behavior, such as nest-site choice, can mitigate the effects of divergent climatic conditions across a species' range. This study found that painted turtles non-randomly nested in microhabitats with less canopy cover and higher nest temperatures, suggesting that nest-site choice is homogenizing nest environments and slowing embryonic evolution. However, nest-site choice may not compensate for rapid increases in local temperatures.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Daniel F. Hughes, Daniel B. Wylie
Summary: The reproductive ecology of Rhinophrynus dorsalis is more similar to distantly related burrowing anurans than their close aquatic relatives in Pipidae. The study found that male and female body sizes were similar, but females attained larger maximum sizes. Reproduction timing was variable, with most breeding beginning in May following heavy rains, and clutch size was positively correlated with female body size.
JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Susan A. Mansfield, Lynn L. Rogers, Sean Robison, Roger A. Powell
Summary: Sleep site selection of female American black bears was studied, and the results showed that female bears preferred lowland habitats with high canopy cover and proximity to a tree, especially a white pine. Female bears with cubs chose upland sleep sites more often and selected sites adjacent to a tree with coarse bark, which cubs could climb easily.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Santosh M. Mogali, Bhagyashri A. Shanbhag, Srinivas K. Saidapur
Summary: This study examined the effects of desiccation on metamorphic traits of Polypedates maculatus under laboratory conditions. Tadpoles reared in decreasing water levels exhibited earlier metamorphosis and smaller size at emergence compared to those reared in constant water levels. Moreover, tadpoles exposed to rapid depletion of water reached metamorphic climax earlier and had smaller size at emergence compared to those exposed to gradual depletion. The study suggests that P. maculatus tadpoles have adaptive plasticity in response to pond drying, favoring early metamorphosis at a smaller size.
Article
Entomology
Marcio Romero Marques Carvalho, Joao Vasconcellos-Neto
Summary: The preference-performance hypothesis suggests that female insects choose to oviposit on plants that optimize larval development. This study evaluated the use of Solanum host plants by female butterflies and the performance of larvae reared on different Solanum species. Results showed that female butterflies preferred to oviposit on S. robustum, and larvae reared on S. robustum or S. scuticum had the highest performance, indicating a positive relationship between oviposition preference and larval performance in M. polymnia casabranca.
ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Constant Swinkels, Jessica E. M. Van der Wal, Christina Stinn, Claudio M. Monteza-Moreno, Patrick A. Jansen
Summary: Studying interactions between predators and prey is challenging, and this study used a noninvasive camera-trapping approach to monitor the temporal proximity of ocelots and prey on Barro Colorado Island in Panama. The results provide indirect evidence that prey animals avoid ocelots, while ocelots track prey.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2023)