Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Rafael Freire, Leia Rogers, Darcy Creece, Shokoofeh Shamsi
Summary: This study investigated the links between parasite infection, anti-predator behavior, and neophobia towards novel food in fish. The findings showed that infected fish were less likely to approach a predator but exhibited reduced neophobia towards a baited hook. These results suggest that parasite-induced changes in fish behavior are complex and may be modulated by hunger levels and reduced locomotion.
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Phoebe L. Reuben, Justin C. Touchon
Summary: Experimental studies show that there is a strong correlation between morphological and coloration plasticity in certain tadpole families, but no correlation between morphology or coloration and behavioral plasticity. This suggests that the development of plastic phenotypes is coordinated in some aspects, while operating independently in others.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Lumir Gvozdik, David S. Boukal
Summary: Predation is a key ecological interaction affected by climate warming, with modifications in predator-prey dynamics observed due to predator-induced plasticity of prey locomotor activity. However, this effect has minor influence on the joint predator-prey behavioural response. The study suggests that within-population variation in prey locomotor activity can buffer the impact of body temperature and predation risk cues on predator-prey interactions.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
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
Behavioral Sciences
Andrea Esquivel-Roman, Wesley Dattilo, Magdalena Cruz-Rosales, Ek del Val, Daniel Gonzalez-Tokman
Summary: Dung beetles have been introduced to non-native sites to remove dung in cattle pastures. This study evaluated the behavior and reproduction of two dung beetle species (Euoniticellus intermedius and Digitonthophagus gazella) when they interact with the same or other species outside their native range. The results showed that E. intermedius brood masses were lighter in traps with more total brood masses. In the laboratory, D. gazella induced faster dung colonization by E. intermedius and conspecifics. Presence of conspecifics or heterospecifics reduced reproductive success in D. gazella, indicating intense competition for dung. E. intermedius females emerged larger in the presence of D. gazella, suggesting differential maternal investment triggered by competitors. In conclusion, behavioral and reproductive plasticity are crucial for dung beetles to become successful invaders.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Kirsten A. Sheehy, Kate L. Laskowski
Summary: Integrated phenotypes and phenotypic plasticity can have impacts on both evolutionary and ecological processes. This study reviews three research fields and provides a conceptual framework to understand the correlation between plasticity in different behavioral traits. Researching this phenomenon is important for understanding evolutionary and ecological processes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ilse Lorena Vargas-Vargas, Estefany Perez-Hernandez, Daniel Gonzalez, Marcos Francisco Rosetti, Jorge Contreras-Galindo, Gabriel Roldan-Roldan
Summary: This study represents the first description of allocentric spatial long-term memory in a terrestrial hermit crab, showing that the Pacific hermit crab is able to learn the location of a reward using visual and olfactory cues, and retain this memory for up to 7 days.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Sergio Castellano, Olivier Friard
Summary: Behaviors are shaped by short-term responses to external stimuli and long-term experiences, resulting in individual differences known as "animal personality." Environmental factors play a crucial role in influencing behavior, while behavior reaction norms vary consistently with body size and time, indicating a complex interplay between development, experiences, and environmental influences.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Natasha D. Harrison, Rochelle Steven, Ben L. Phillips, Jan M. Hemmi, Adrian F. Wayne, Nicola J. Mitchell
Summary: Measuring anti-predator responses in mammals is essential for conservation efforts. This systematic review identifies various behavioral assays and predator cues that elicit the strongest responses. The study provides important guidance for experimental design and reporting in future research.
ENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Natasha D. Harrison, Ben L. Phillips, Jan M. Hemmi, Adrian F. Wayne, Rochelle Steven, Nicola J. Mitchell
Summary: Mammals globally are facing population declines, and there is an urgent need for robust methods to measure anti-predator responses. This study outlines a systematic review protocol aimed at collating existing behavioral assays for quantifying anti-predator responses in mammals and identifying which assays and predator cues elicit the greatest behavioral responses. The final review will highlight the most robust methodology and provide relevant information for conservation managers.
ENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alexis J. Khursigara, Lauren E. Rowsey, Jacob L. Johansen, Andrew J. Esbaugh
Summary: Exposure to crude oil has been shown to lead to reduced sociability and poor habitat selection in fish, corresponding with increased predation risk. The study suggests that behavioral impairment may be more sensitive than cardiorespiratory injury and could be a more significant driver of ecological risk in marine species following oil exposure.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Liming Chang, Bin Wang, Meihua Zhang, Jiongyu Liu, Tian Zhao, Wei Zhu, Jianping Jiang
Summary: Exposure to CORT and background color individually and additively affect tadpole plasticity, impacting the trade-off between somatic growth, metabolic maintenance, and pigmentation. These findings offer new insights into environmental adaptation in animals.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Tana L. L. Verzuh, Savannah A. A. Rogers, Paul D. D. Mathewson, Alex May, Warren P. P. Porter, Corey Class, Lee Knox, Teal Cufaude, L. Embere Hall, Ryan A. A. Long, Kevin L. L. Monteith
Summary: The warming climate poses challenges to endothermic species in terms of increased metabolic and hydric costs for thermoregulation. However, the effectiveness of behavioral and physiological strategies in a warmer and drier climate is not well understood. This study found that large, heat-sensitive mammals invest significant time in selecting habitats and maintaining heat balance to reduce the risk of heat stress.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Michael Bar-Ziv, Aran Sofer, Adel Gorovoy, Orr Spiegel
Summary: Habitat development can alter wildlife behavior, leading to preferences for individuals or behaviors that cope better with perceived threats. Bolder behaviors in human-dominated habitats may represent habituation specifically to humans or a general reduction in predator-avoidance response. However, the carry-over effects across different types of threats and phases of the escape sequence have not been well studied.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ivana Jaric, Bernhard Voelkl, Melanie Clerc, Marc W. Schmid, Janja Novak, Marianna Rosso, Reto Rufener, Vanessa Tabea von Kortzfleisch, S. Helene Richter, Manuela Buettner, Andre Bleich, Irmgard Amrein, David P. Wolfer, Chadi Touma, Shinichi Sunagawa, Hanno Wuerbel
Summary: The phenotype of an organism is influenced by both its genotype and the environment. This study demonstrates that common environmental differences between animal facilities can lead to facility-specific phenotypes in mice, affecting their gut microbial community, body weight, behavioral phenotype, and even neuronal chromatin organization. These findings highlight the need to consider environmental background in study designs to increase the robustness and replicability of research findings.
Article
Zoology
Sara F. Nunes, Mario Mota-Ferreira, Marta Sampaio, Joana Andrade, Nuno Oliveira, Rui Rebelo, Ricardo Rocha
Summary: Invasive species pose a threat to island biodiversity, but eradicating them can protect endemic species. This study used the eradication of black rats and rabbits from Berlenga Island in Portugal as an experiment to explore the effects on the trophic niche and body dimensions of the island-restricted Berlenga wall lizard. The results showed changes in the lizard's trophic niche and sexual dimorphism following mammal eradication, indicating shifts in ecological pressures.
Article
Fisheries
Ana Neves, Ines Sousa, Vera Sequeira, Ana Rita Vieira, Elisabete Silva, Frederica Silva, Ana Marta Duarte, Susana Mendes, Rui Ganhao, Carlos Assis, Rui Rebelo, Maria Filomena Magalhaes, Maria Manuel Gil, Leonel Serrano Gordo
Summary: The study focuses on the reproductive strategy of two fish species, the piper gurnard and the red gurnard, revealing a female-biased sex ratio in both species. The red gurnard has higher fecundity and a longer spawning season compared to the piper gurnard.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Maria Joao Verdasca, Raquel Godinho, Rita Gomes Rocha, Marco Portocarrero, Luisa Gigante Carvalheiro, Rui Rebelo, Hugo Rebelo
Summary: Through DNA metabarcoding, it was found that worker jaws and larval faecal pellets are the most effective sample types for studying Asian giant hornets' predation on honeybees, while stomachs are the least useful. The presence of honeybee DNA in all analysed colonies regardless of collection site and the variety of insect orders detected in the diet support concerns over the negative impact of Asian giant hornets on managed honeybees and pollination services provision.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Maria Joao Verdasca, Hugo Rebelo, Luisa G. Carvalheiro, Rui Rebelo
Summary: The yellow-legged hornet in Portugal is spreading faster southwards along the Atlantic coast compared to eastwards, with jump dispersal playing a key role in this difference. Diffusion dispersal is influenced by temperature, precipitation, and distance to shrub land, while jump dispersal is facilitated by motorways and human-mediated dispersal.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria Joao Verdasca, Luisa Carvalheiro, Jesus Aguirre Gutierrez, Jose Pedro Granadeiro, Quentin Rome, Sebastien J. Puechmaille, Rui Rebelo, Hugo Rebelo
Summary: The study compares the niche dynamics of two genetically related invasive populations of Vespa velutina and finds that the species has a high ability to invade different environmental conditions. It also identifies a large unoccupied environmental space in central and eastern Europe that has the potential to be invaded by V. velutina.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ana M. Duarte, Frederica Silva, Susana Mendes, Filipa R. Pinto, Sonia Barroso, Elisabete Silva, Ana Neves, Vera Sequeira, Maria Filomena Magalhaes, Rui Rebelo, Carlos Assis, Ana Rita Vieira, Leonel Serrano Gordo, Maria Manuel Gil
Summary: This study assessed the seasonal nutritional composition of underutilized and low commercial value fish species on the Portuguese coast and found that they are good sources of fat and protein, with the potential to become commonly consumed fish.
FOOD SCIENCE & NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Tsungai Alfred Zengeya, Reuhl Jan-Hendrik Lombard, Vhutali Ernest Nelwamondo, Ana Luisa Nunes, John Measey, Olaf Lawrence Weyl
Summary: This study assesses the trophic niche and potential impacts of the invasive redclaw crayfish in the Inkomati River Basin, South Africa. The crayfish showed an omnivorous feeding strategy, with diet mainly composed of algae, plant material, and invertebrates. Differences in feeding strategy and niche width were observed based on size and habitat type. Significant niche overlap was found between redclaw crayfish and Sidney's river crab, suggesting potential functional redundancy in the ecosystem. Further studies are needed to examine the altered ecosystem functions caused by the crayfish invasion.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fernando Miguel Madeira, Rui Rebelo, Paulo Catry, Joao Neiva, Castro Barbosa, Aissa Regalla, Ana Rita Patricio
Summary: Green turtles heavily rely on neritic foraging areas throughout their lives. Our study in Guinea-Bissau reveals that green sea turtles from different life stages vary in their distribution, food preferences, and habitat use within a foraging aggregation.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Manuel Sa Sampaio, Rui Rebelo, Aissa Regalla, Castro Barbosa, Paulo Catry
Summary: Predation of nests and hatchlings can be reduced by disguising scent cues and using metal nets, which may be a cost-effective management option to mitigate the threat of Nile monitors to green turtle nests in sensitive areas.
CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Cheila Raposo, Julie Mestre, Rui Rebelo, Aissa Regalla, Alasdair Davies, Castro Barbosa, Ana Rita Patricio
Summary: Understanding the spatial distribution of wildlife is crucial for effective conservation. This study tracked green turtles from a rookery in Guinea-Bissau, examining their movement patterns and fidelity to nesting sites. The research showed the importance of a marine protected area for the conservation of a large green turtle breeding population, and provided recommendations for improving its effectiveness.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Federica Lucati, Alexandre Miro, Jaime Bosch, Jenny Caner, Michael Joseph Jowers, Xavier Rivera, David Donaire-Barroso, Rui Rebelo, Marc Ventura
Summary: This study investigated the drivers of geographical differentiation in high mountain populations of midwife toads from the Iberian Peninsula. The authors found evidence of mitochondrial and nuclear discordances and/or admixture between taxa in the different mountain regions. The study highlights the complex evolutionary history and emphasizes the importance of using a multilocus approach.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Vera Sequeira, Ines Sousa, Ana Neves, Ana Rita Vieira, Elisabete Silva, Frederica Silva, Ana Marta Duarte, Susana Mendes, Rui Ganhao, Carlos Alberto Assis, Rui Rebelo, Maria Filomena Magalhaes, Maria Manuel Gil, Leonel Serrano Gordo
Summary: This study examined the age and growth of piper gurnard and red gurnard specimens from European waters, estimating their growth parameters. The results showed that red gurnard grew faster but reached a smaller size compared to piper gurnard. Additionally, red gurnard had higher fishing mortality and exploitation rate on the Portuguese coast, raising concerns about its sustainability.
Article
Virology
Catarina D. Coutinho, Charlotte E. Ford, Joseph D. Trafford, Ana Duarte, Rui Rebelo, Goncalo M. Rosa
Summary: Emergent infectious diseases have a growing impact on farmed animals and wildlife. Pathogen screening is crucial for understanding host-pathogen dynamics and improving management. A study on two threatened freshwater fish species found that non-lethal buccal swabbing is a reliable alternative to traditional fin clipping for detecting the Ranavirus, particularly in small-bodied fish. This has significant implications for conservation efforts.
Article
Environmental Studies
Andre Vizinho, Adriana Principe, Ana Catia Vasconcelos, Rui Rebelo, Cristina Branquinho, Gil Penha-Lopes
Summary: In Mediterranean climate regions, climate change is causing increased aridity and higher mortality rates for Quercus suber, affecting reforestation efforts. This study explores the use of microclimates, particularly by utilizing north-facing slopes and water lines for planting, and creating shelter with existing shrubs like Cistus ladanifer. Experiment 1 demonstrated higher survival rates for Q. suber planted on north-facing slopes and water lines compared to ridges, while Experiment 2 showed that planting in the shade of C. ladanifer rows significantly increased survival rates. These findings indicate the importance of considering microclimates in reforestation strategies for Q. suber.
Article
Fisheries
Ana Neves, Ana Rita Vieira, Vera Sequeira, Elisabete Silva, Frederica Silva, Ana Marta Duarte, Susana Mendes, Rui Ganhao, Carlos Assis, Rui Rebelo, Maria Filomena Magalhaes, Maria Manuel Gil, Leonel Serrano Gordo
Summary: This study presents a Bayesian approach to improve plausibility in growth estimates, particularly when small individuals are under-sampled, by using informative priors on growth parameters. The Bayesian method was evaluated in relation to standard growth model fitting methods in the context of the blue jack mackerel, with promising results indicating its potential as a powerful addition in growth modelling using imperfect data.