Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Benjamin Larue, Fanie Pelletier, Steeve D. Cote, Sandra Hamel, Marco Festa-Bianchet
Summary: Life-history theory predicts energy allocation trade-offs between traits when resources are limited. This study evaluated growth versus reproduction trade-offs in female bighorn sheep and mountain goats, finding that growth traits can accurately predict reproductive history. The predictive models based on annual growth could assist conservation and management in a broad range of species.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Collin J. Horn, Lien T. Luong
Summary: The study highlights a trade-off between reproduction and parasite resistance in a host-macroparasite system, showing that mating increases susceptibility to mite infection among female flies and reduces their anti-parasitic defenses.
PHYSIOLOGY & BEHAVIOR
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Rocco F. Notarnicola, Adrienne B. Nicotra, Loeske E. B. Kruuk, Pieter A. Arnold
Summary: This study investigates the effects of climate warming on the trade-off between seed size and number in an alpine plant. The results show that warming during parental growth reduces both seed size and number, but does not affect germination. This highlights the detrimental effect of warming on parental fitness and the potential risk of climate change for alpine plant communities.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Matthew Orolowitz, Eleanor Shadwell, Susan J. Cunningham
Summary: Desert birds obtain water either from their diet or by drinking surface water. The implications of drinking dependency for behavioural trade-offs in birds’ thermoregulation are not fully understood. This study found that drinking birds foraged in hotter temperatures and began panting at cooler temperatures compared to non-drinking birds. Drinking species may be less vulnerable to thermoregulatory trade-offs and more resilient to increased temperatures, but they could also be more vulnerable if water resources diminish as climate change progresses.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Hamed Yousefzadeh, Narjes Amirchakhmaghi, Bahram Naseri, Farzad Shafizadeh, Gregor Kozlowski, Lukasz Walas
Summary: This study aims to map the past geographic distributions and estimate the potential risks of the Caspian locust, as well as propose conservation measures such as establishing nature reserves and using cryopreservation techniques.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yanmin Teng, Jinyan Zhan, Wei Liu, Xi Chu, Fan Zhang, Chao Wang, Lanyuan Wang
Summary: This study assessed the trade-offs and influencing factors of ecosystem services (ES) in the Qilian Mountains, a mountainous region with diverse climate and topography. The results showed significant spatial heterogeneity in the eight key ES evaluated, which could be clustered into three bundles. Natural factors, such as vegetation coverage, elevation, precipitation, and slope, were found to be the main drivers of ES differentiation, while human factors had a relatively high influence on provisioning and cultural services in local areas.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Devin R. de Zwaan, Davide Scridel, Tomas A. Altamirano, Pranav Gokhale, R. Suresh Kumar, Steven Sevillano-Rios, Arnaud G. Barras, Libertad Arredondo-Amezcua, Addisu Asefa, Ricardo A. Carrillo, Ken Green, Carlos A. Gutierrez-Chavez, Aleksi Lehikoinen, Shaobin Li, Ruey-Shing Lin, Christopher J. Norment, Krista N. Oswald, Alexey A. Romanov, Julio Salvador, Kerry A. Weston, Kathy Martin
Summary: Alpine ecosystems are important for supporting diverse avian communities and are under threat from climate change and human activities. However, there is currently no global database of alpine birds. To fill this knowledge gap, a global list of alpine breeding bird species and their distributions was developed using literature, monitoring schemes, and expert knowledge. The dataset provides valuable information for studying ecological and evolutionary factors in alpine communities and conserving biodiversity.
Article
Ornithology
Bukola D. A. Braimoh-Azaki, Susan J. Cunningham, Will Cresswell
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between incubation bout length and environmental variables in African Black Oystercatchers. The results showed that incubation bout length was longer at high tide and at night, and decreased with increases in temperature. These findings suggest that oystercatchers adjust their incubation bout lengths according to the changing environmental conditions to meet their energy, hydration, and thermoregulatory needs.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Alan T. K. Lee, Sophie A. J. Hammer
Summary: The study used data sets from the Southern African Bird Atlas Project to determine relative change in bird populations, with the greatest declines observed in Palearctic migrants and birds with breeding grounds in southern Asia.
Article
Ornithology
Elizabeth Anne Dixon, Ben Smit
Summary: This study found a significant correlation between the proportion of Facebook photographs associated with surface water and avian surface water use indices based on field studies. This suggests that Facebook may be a useful source of data for determining bird species' reliance on surface water.
EMU-AUSTRAL ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Petra Sumasgutner, Susan J. Cunningham, Arne Hegemann, Arjun Amar, Hannah Watson, Johan F. Nilsson, Martin N. Andersson, Caroline Isaksson
Summary: Climate change and urbanisation pose significant threats to biodiversity, yet their combined effects are often overlooked. Understanding how species respond to the interactive impacts of rising temperatures and urbanisation is crucial in global change biology, especially for birds. This article highlights the potential mechanisms and knowledge gaps in the effects of climate and urban drivers on avian responses, emphasizing the need for further research in this important field.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Peter Mikula, Oldrich Tomasek, Dusan Romportl, Timothy K. Aikins, Jorge E. Avendano, Bukola D. A. Braimoh-Azaki, Adams Chaskda, Will Cresswell, Susan J. Cunningham, Svein Dale, Gabriela R. Favoretto, Kelvin S. Floyd, Hayley Glover, Tomas Grim, Dominic A. W. Henry, Tomas Holmern, Martin Hromada, Soladoye B. Iwajomo, Amanda Lilleyman, Flora J. Magige, Rowan O. Martin, Marina de A. Maximiano, Eric D. Nana, Emmanuel Ncube, Henry Ndaimani, Emma Nelson, Johann H. van Niekerk, Carina Pienaar, Augusto J. Piratelli, Penny Pistorius, Anna Radkovic, Chevonne Reynolds, Eivin Roskaft, Griffin K. Shanungu, Paulo R. Siqueira, Tawanda Tarakini, Nattaly Tejeiro-Mahecha, Michelle L. Thompson, Wanyoike Wamiti, Mark Wilson, Donovan R. C. Tye, Nicholas D. Tye, Aki Vehtari, Piotr Tryjanowski, Michael A. Weston, Daniel T. Blumstein, Tomas Albrecht
Summary: This study investigates the factors influencing avian tolerance towards humans in open tropical ecosystems. It finds that rural bird populations and those exposed to lower human disturbance have lower tolerance, while larger species with larger clutches and enhanced flight ability are also less tolerant. The study also shows that escape distances increase during the wet season and from longer starting distances.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Alan Tristram Kenneth Lee, Gillian McGregor, Anina Coetzee
Summary: In this study, the harvest methods of Cyclopia intermedia were observed, and the yield was estimated based on height and stem number. The results showed that plants in valleys or with high surrounding vegetation had higher yield values and potential fecundity. Additionally, plant size was correlated with mortality rate after harvesting, with smaller plants having higher mortality. However, after two years of drought, high mortality was not influenced by harvesting category or environmental variables, indicating that drought leads to high plant mortality regardless of harvest history.
AGROECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stephanie L. Payne, Susan J. Cunningham, Caroline G. Howes, Andrew E. McKechnie
Summary: Trait-based assessments are useful for evaluating species' vulnerability to climate change, but should consider interspecific variation in behavioral and physiological traits. This study assessed the vulnerability of 241 bird species in southern Africa to increasing air temperature associated with climate change. The results identified species with high vulnerability and highlighted the importance of considering overlooked species in conservation efforts.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Krista N. Oswald, Shannon R. Conradie
Summary: Assessments of species' vulnerability to rising temperatures often underestimate the risks when only measuring responses to a single ecological variable. A study on the Cape Rockjumper revealed that including multiple climate-related responses affected the predicted vulnerability to climate change and showed variability within the species' habitat. These findings highlight the importance of considering multiple risks and implications for conservation strategies.
Article
Biology
Shannon R. Conradie, Michael R. Kearney, Blair O. Wolf, Susan J. Cunningham, Marc T. Freeman, Ryno Kemp, Andrew E. McKechnie
Summary: This study evaluated the performance of a biophysical model in predicting water loss, metabolic rate, and thermoregulatory responses of arid-zone birds. The results showed that the model accurately predicted these variables and captured the adaptive responses to hot weather.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Philipp H. Boersch-Supan, Alan Tristram Kenneth Lee, Hans-Dieter Oschadleus
Summary: The Underhill-Zucchini model has played an important role in the study of moult in birds' annual cycles, but the inferences are susceptible to imperfect moult data and violations of model assumptions. Recent extensions to the Underhill-Zucchini framework have been demonstrated to aid in the robust estimation of moult parameters, particularly when within-season recapture data is available.
Biographical-Item
Ornithology
Alan T. K. Lee, Sandi Willows-Munro, David A. Ehlers Smith, Preshnee Singh
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Alan Tristram Kenneth Lee, Melissa A. Whitecross, Hanneline A. Smit-Robinson, David G. Allan, Linda van den Heever, Andrew Jenkins, Ernst F. Retief, Robin B. Colyn, Warwick Tarboton, Kishaylin Chetty, Christiaan Willem Brink
Summary: Long-term citizen science atlas data has shown concerning declines in the population of Black Stork in South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini. Recent surveys revealed evidence of nest site abandonment and limited evidence of breeding in northern South Africa. Population declines indicate limited breeding success and a non-breeding population in wildlife refuges.
BIRD CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Sanjo Rose, Robert Leslie Thomson, Alan Tristam Kenneth Lee, Peter Geoffrey Ryan
Summary: The Agulhas Long-billed Lark is a species restricted to the transformed Agulhas Plain, South Africa. This study provides new information on its nesting behavior, parental care, and breeding success. The lark prefers to nest in Renosterveld and faces threats such as nest predation, habitat loss, and exposure to pesticides.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jack R. M. Harper, Nicola J. van Wilgen, Andrew A. Turner, Krystal A. Tolley, Bryan Maritz, Susana Clusella-Trullas, Jessica M. da Silva, Susan J. Cunningham, Chad Cheney, Atherton L. de Villiers, John Measey, Wendy Foden
Summary: Estimating and planning for the impacts of climate change on protected areas' biodiversity is a challenge for conservation managers. This study uses Table Mountain National Park in South Africa as a case study to assess the vulnerability of amphibian and reptile species to climate change, identifying the most vulnerable species and their conservation needs. The results highlight the importance of considering climate change vulnerability in conservation planning.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
James A. Klarevas-Irby, Damien R. Farine
Summary: Little is known about how animals overcome temporal constraints on movement during dispersal. This study used GPS tracking of vulturine guineafowl and found that dispersers showed the greatest increase in movement at the same times of day when they moved the most prior to dispersal. These findings suggest that individuals face the same ecological constraints during dispersal as they do in daily life and achieve large displacements by maximizing movement when conditions are most favorable.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Simone Ciaralli, Martina Esposito, Stefano Francesconi, Daniela Muzzicato, Marco Gamba, Matteo Dal Zotto, Daniela Campobello
Summary: Male cuckoos may transfer nest location information to females as a nonmaterial nuptial gift through specific postures and behaviors, potentially influencing mating choices of female cuckoos.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Anne E. Aulsebrook, Rowan Jacques-Hamilton, Bart Kempenaers
Summary: Accelerometry and machine learning have been used to quantify mating behaviors of captive male ruffs. Different machine learning methods were compared and evaluated for their classification performance. The study highlights the challenges and potential pitfalls in classifying mating behaviors using accelerometry and provides recommendations and considerations for future research.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Maria G. Smith, Joshua B. LaPergola, Christina Riehl
Summary: This study analyzed individual contributions to parental care in the greater ani bird and found that workload inequality varied between groups of two and three pairs. However, there was no clear evidence of division of labour within the groups, suggesting individual differences in overall work performed.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Noah M. T. Smith, Reuven Dukas
Summary: Winner and loser effects are observed in many animals, and recent experiments suggest that they may also occur in humans. In two experiments involving video games and reading comprehension, participants who won in the first phase performed significantly better in the second phase compared to those who lost. The effect size was larger in the video game experiment, and men and women showed similar magnitudes of winner and loser effects.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Bianca J. L. Marcellino, Peri Yee, Shannon J. Mccauley, Rosalind L. Murray
Summary: This study examines the trade-off between mating effort and thermoregulatory behavior in dragonflies in response to temperature changes, and investigates the effect of wing melanin on these behaviors. The results indicate that as temperature increases, dragonflies reduce their mating effort and increase their thermoregulatory behavior.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Rafael Rios Moura, Paulo Inacio Prado, Joao Vasconcellos-Neto
Summary: This study examined the escape behavior and decision-making of Aglaoctenus castaneus spiders on different substrates. It was found that spiders inhabiting injurious substrates displayed shorter flight initiation distances and lower sensitivity to predators.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Luigi Baciadonna, Cwyn Solvi, Francesca Terranova, Camilla Godi, Cristina Pilenga, Livio Favaro
Summary: In this study, it was found that African penguins could use ventral dot patterns to recognize their lifelong partner and nonpartner colonymates. This challenges the previous assumption of limited visual involvement in penguin communication, highlighting the complex and flexible recognition process in birds.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Nick A. R. Jones, Jade Newton-Youens, Joachim G. Frommen
Summary: Environmental conditions, particularly temperature, have a significant impact on animal behavior. This study focused on aggression in Neolamprologus pulcher fish and found that aggression rates increased with temperature at lower levels, but decreased after reaching a peak. Additionally, the influence of high temperatures on aggression changed over time during the trials. These findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the short-term effects of temperature on aggression and highlight the importance of considering non-linear changes in thermal performance.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Bruno Herlander Martins, Andrea Soriano-Redondo, Aldina M. A. Franco, Ines Carry
Summary: Human activities have affected the availability of resources for wildlife, particularly through the provision of anthropogenic food subsidies at landfill sites. This study explores the influence of age on landfill attendance and foraging behavior in white storks. Adult storks visit landfills more frequently and show dominance over juveniles in food acquisition. Juveniles have limited access to landfill resources and are forced to use lower quality areas.